Dog of War
by idreamofinuyoukai
Summary: Inuyasha and Kagome meet in a time where their two worlds are about to be torn apart by war. Each experienced their own nightmare for years before it was over. coming together again and fighting more then the longstanding resentment between the races, Kagome and Inuyasha will learn to fight for everything they want, or die at war.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer. i do not own the characters

Touring through the ominous stone garden she gazed up at the faces that were frozen in the passions of war and still through the ages. Kagome was amazed, every story that she had heard from the time of her child hood was there staring at her through granite eyes.

Singing quietly, she toured this majestic place, skipping between the ancient relics of the past, it had taken her most o the day to find it, her father had told her that It had been a place of meditation in her great grandmothers gardens. Ivy trailed up the Perl white stone and clothed the statues with old growth foliage, hiding parts of the past that were buried and eroded from both time and weather.

A rustle in the bushes caught her attention, stilling in fear Kagome watched. A frightened rabbit flew out from under the shrub and Kagome laughed aloud at her own cowardice.

" whoa watch out!" she heard a boys voice and was knocked off her feet before she could see where the voice had come from. " hey sorry girl." a growley boys voice said close to her. She was crouched and had her eyes covered. Peaking over her hands she was caught off guard by the red and white mass that had tripped over her, the boy was laying sprawled out on his face from falling. Shaking and getting up off the ground he shook again and sat bringing his foot to scratch his ear. She giggled and got his attention.

" you are a dog boy!" she laughed and pet his ears.

The boy frowned and turned beat red. " I have a name girl. Besides. My lunch got away and my brothers gonna kill me, again." he grumbled and flopped back on to the grass. Kagome stood over him and peered curiously at the strange dog boy.

" Kagome." she smiled with the sun gleaming from behind her. The boy blushed slightly and looked away.

" that's a weird name." he mumbled " I'm Inuyasha."

" that's an even weirder name." she giggled and plopped down beside him. " this is my families lands you are not supposed to be here without permission." she said diplomatically.

" oh really? Then give it to me." he challenged.

" what?" Kagome asked unsure. Inuyasha sat up and looked her eye to eye, nearly an inch from her nose.

" You live here, don't you?" he asked she nodded. " then you can give me permission to be here." he nodded, Kagome thought about it for a minute and smiled.

" I'll give you permission to be on my families land, if you do what I say." she grinned wickedly, this could be fun, she hoped watching the consideration.

" No." he crossed his arms.

" What! Then you have to go to jail, cause its trespassing." she crossed her arms and glared at the boy, who blanched. " maybe your brother will put up the bail..." she wondered aloud.

Inuyasha turned ghost white and shook his head. " I'll do what ever you say! Please, don't make my brother _more_ mad at me! You don't know what he'll do!" he said panicking while Kagome grinned from ear to ear.

"Okay, Inuyasha. You have to do everything I say. And I want to see the statues from the tallest tree in the garden!" she smiled jumping on his back and giggling maniacally. Inuyasha gaped and tried to shake the girl off. She clung tightly and he huffed and looked around for the giant oak that was in the back side of the garden. He jumped from there and landed in the lowest branch. The girl on his back shrieked and laughed excitedly.

Some time later the two children were running wildly through the statues playing samurai and demons, Kagome played the part of the hero of their province a great swordsman and Inuyasha impersonated a man he named as Sesshomaru fluffy pants. She had laughed but the Inu boy convinced her that it was a real person and so the great demon fluffy pants reeked havoc chasing the brave swordsman that weaved through the statues, growling and nearly foaming at the mouth he looked wild as she caught the glint in his eye and turned to run, no longer sure if this boy was the safest person to be with.

Picking up on her heightened heart rate and the scent of prey, he pursued her intending on catching her and … he didn't know yet but smirking he was close enough to grasp her hair in his sharp claws but he let the foot race last a moment longer before scooping her up and tumbling to the ground in a feigned brawl. Kagome was a little shaken but she realized that he wasn't hurting her and fought back knowing that he could take it.

" ha you are weak, puny human-"

"Inuyasha..." an impatient adult Inu stepped through the trees to see his younger brother pinned down with a human girl grasping the collar of his shirt. He sneered disgusted. " I have waited... and here you are playing with a human. This is unacceptable." he spat and walked over and pulled his brother of the ground by his shirt and dumping the girl to the ground.

" hey, you cant be mean to me! I don't even know you, and we were playing. I was being a brave samurai and Inuyasha was the great Sesshomaru fluffy pants." she boasted proudly.

Inuyasha was dropped to the ground with a thunk. Sesshomaru began to walk away angrily. " hey where you going, dad said we had to come home together. Sesshomaru... don't leave me here." Inuyasha called turning to Kagome he sniffed her to remember her scent and turned to leave.

" wait Inuyasha? Will I see you again?" she asked hopefully.

" do I have permission to come back?" he asked back. Kagome smiled and reached into her pocket to withdraw her purse. " I don't need money." he started and she looked up at him like he was stupid, which made him kind of pissed.

" its not money, Inuyasha, I want to give this to you. If ever there is a time when you are in trouble on these lands show them this crystal, and they will bring you to me." she handed him a sapphire smooth stone in the shape of their families spirit guardian, the dog, strapped to a leather thong. smiling he took it and put it around his neck tucking it underneath his collar.

"I'll come back tomorrow" he promised.

Kagome watched the retreating back of her new friend, sighing she turned back to the stone faced statues that seemed now to mock her sudden loneliness. When she had stood there for a while Kagome turned and took a last tour through the ancient place of remembrance, reaching out to grasp the crumbled fingers of a lady priestess, she was met with the still warm expression that was immortalized beneath the years of weather and moss that began to cover her. " so beautiful." she breathed looking up in awe, but Kagome knew that she had to leave this place.

Every day for a month she went to the stone garden and played with her new friend. As serenely as she entered the labyrinth of garden, she exited, skillfully winding through the ancient forest and to the clearing at the edge of her families estate, it was to be short lived though. Turning back to look into the trees, for the last time, she glimpsed the hint of white dog ears sticking out from behind a tree. Smiling she waved at him relieved to see him one last time. Inuyasha freaked out and jumped out from behind the tree.

" I'm never going to see you again, am I?" he called out frowning. She shrugged regretfully and shook her head. He jumped into the clearing and stalked toward her. " Kagome, will we see each other again." he demanded.

smiling warmly she reached over to hug him and nodded. " one day, ill come back from the coastal lands and return to you here." she promised.

" I will find you." he smirked. one of his ears twitched and his attention was drawn to the treeline. "there's the boss." he grumbled "I have to go." he turned and jumped into the forest past his brother.

"Inuyasha, cease your misbehaving at once." she heard Sesshomaru chastise him in the distance. Smiling Kagome turned to walk back to her families manor, opening the door to the kitchens, she was alone in the room. Hearing her parents pleasant conversation in the room down the walkway she went to them and tried to be happy about going to their new home. But somehow, her mind wandered back to her dog boy, he was just her age at least he appeared to be. She had not had so much fun in her life and was adamant on coming back.

It was that summer that war broke out in the west, Kagome's' family was never to return to the family estate and the land was plagued by the demons that they had lived in harmony with for generations. Kagome never forgot the white haired dog boy but when the wars were over and she could return to the place where she had promise to return to she was far from the child that she had been.

The adult that walked through the stone garden was reminiscent of the girl that she had been, her eyes had seen death and loss and did not sparkle with the innocent excitement that they once held, and her hair was deep black and fell to her thighs having grown for the years of her teen years to adult hood and she was dreaming of the child that she had been.

Closing her eyes she waited listening for the slightest rustle of leaves or foliage. Smiling to herself she felt him close by. Letting her guard down Kagome reached her hand out and opened her eyes to be face to face with an older mirror of the boy that she had known. "Inuyasha, you came." she whispered

smiling with a glint of bitterness in his eyes he answered "I told you that I would find you."

Kagome knew that he wanted to know what had taken her so long, the war had ended and they were free to return a year ago, she had waited, afraid to face him after so much time. " you did. As I promised to come back to you here." she felt the smile fade from her face and he frowned himself.

" you have to tell me why." he demanded. " why did you make me wait so long. I could have gone to get you a thousand times, but I waited here for you." he said passionately. Kagome could see that the years had worn on his soul and the open little boy that she had met had become reclusive and intrusting. She frowned missing him deeply. Kagome drew her hand to his face.

"I was afraid." she admitted catching his off guard.

"why, we were friends." he asked feeling his throat swell at the thought. The bitterness of waiting here every day for a year had made him cold, waiting for the day that she would walk back through the gates of the statue garden.

"because, when I left we were friends, I always thought about you as my friend. But when I grew up I still thought about you often, but differently. I was afraid Inuyasha, that so much had changed and when I saw you again it would be different-"

" it will be, Kagome I want you to stay with me, here." he said interrupting her. "I want you, I have since the day we met. Kagome, I have waited for you and I cannot allow you to leave me again, ever." he asserted himself and took her raised hands in his own. She frowned and felt the weight in her chest

"Inuyasha... I'm getting married." she hadn't wanted to tell him, but it was obvious how he felt about her. she felt the tears fill her eyes and she could not look at the hurt that crossed is face. It was like she had slapped him. His eyes darkened with malice and he withdrew his hands.

"Why have you come back then." he asked bitterly. He did not want to watch her walk away again. He would not let her. Kagome did not reach back for him like she wanted to instead she let him take a step back and took a calming breath and beckoned him to look up from the place at his feet.

" It is an arranged marriage. My father believes that it will restore our lands. I do not love him..." she tugged at his hair to make him look at her. He snapped his head up and there was hope in his eyes again.

" then you do not love him?" he urged her to say the words. She spoke the word he wanted to hear and he let the breath out that he had been holding. Inuyasha wanted to believe her, he could not detect a lie and gripped her shoulders. "I will fight for you." he vowed taking her into his arms. Kagome felt her heart quicken and he paused to listed to the cadence that mirrored the rhythm of his own heart. Looking up she barely had time to take a breath before his mouth was on hers. She was being swept away with the feel of his lips against hers. She was aware of every inch of her body, felt the shifting of his hands, the shifting of weight as he moved to lean her back and kiss the line of her jaw nibbling the side of her neck with his razor like fangs. Feeling shivers through her entire body brought her to attention.

" inu-yasha, please I cant-" she tried to protest but he covered her words with another passionate kiss that stole her breath and train of thought at once. Kissing him was making her forget the world around her and all of the obligations that she had picked up since agreeing to the new treaty for her father, and when she felt his hands move from her back to cup her bottom and pull her into his erect member, she was brought back to earth with self preserving fear. Alarm bells rung in her head bringing her hands up to push against him, but she found he was immovable like granite, and from the urgency his hands he was not slowing down.

Inuyasha noticed the fear in her scent and restrained himself " don't you trust me?" He asked her and she nodded but still held fear in her eyes.

" it is the treaties... I could be put to death for shaming my father in this way." she blushed and looked away feeling ashamed of feelings the closeness of his body was creating in her. Inuyasha shook his head and frowned.

" my father could give your father anything if I asked him. Kagome, nothing is going to keep me from you. I love you." the truth in his words showed in his eyes and kagome felt her own heart stop with the excitement that spiked in her.

" Inuyasha, I love you too...but... I'm still afraid." Kagome blushed and saw him smile softly and nod. Moving so that he was an inch from her mouth he stole tiny kisses from her melting her mind and body in his grasp. Sepparting each kiss he probed the entrance of her mouth and delved in earning a surprised gasp.

" lets go see your father." he said huskily and placed another kiss on her shoulder. Scenting her he realized that she was afraid of her father. She looked up at him with worry plain on her face. It was maddening, he had never wanted her to fear people. He wanted to show her that he could protect her and care for her best.

" he is still on the coast with my stepmother. They and my young half brother will be staying there while I marry the lord here within a month." she said with bitter tears welling in her eyes. He clenched his teeth and nodded. A human lord would be simple to kill, he thought, though he knew his father would be furious at him for killing a young human lord here in his lands.

" We will go there then." he said drawing her chin up so he could take possession of her mouth once more. He loved feeling her against him, loved having her so close and willing to be his. He had dreampt of her since he was still in his child years. He to had been afraid that too much had changed for them to be together, but he was thrilled that she had come before she had gotten married. The other way he would have to kill her husband and risk her being furious at him when they mated. " first though, we should go see my father." he said and grasped her hand.

" now?" she asked nervous.

" your treatie is going to be worthless if i continuing kissing you like this." he smiled and knelt down for her to get on his back. " I'll carry you, we will get there much faster if I run" he said and nodded for her to get on.

Kagome looked at the garden around her and even peaked back to the gate where the things of duty and family obligation lay just behind. Then she looked at Inuyasha. He had waited for her and dreampt of her just as she had done. Remembering the love she had for him for those long summer days and the years away afterward where he was the one who kept her going through the lessons and arrangements she had undergone the thought of coming back to this place and escaping once more the fate of being a high blood daughter. Inuyasha looked up at her once more and she nodded.

" I will go." she said and got onto his back. Standing, Inuyasha was grinning, his heart was singing in his chest. Taking the first step he grabbed on to her legs blushing a little at the action and started running. The world around her blurred, tucking her head in his long hair she hid her face from the wind. Breathing deeply she smelled earth and trees on him, he was wild, untamed running as no human male could dream of. She was swept up in the wonder of it all so much she did not even ask where his father was or even if she would be welcomed when they arrived.

So when they came to the outer wall of the demons kingdom, Kagome was terrified, she gripped his neck tighter then she thought possible and tried to make herself as small as she could. " what have you done, you have brought me into the enemies den." she whispered shaking.

" this place is not full of enemies. This is my fathers palace." he said like it was no big deal and grabbed her hand to walk in the gates. She followed still shaking from the adrenaline that now begged her to run from this place and be done with it all. But Inuyasha clawed hand was warm, firm, and still leading her to the king of demons. She calmed her breathing and tried to calm the pounding of her heart as they passed demons and creatures and walked into the main house for the king.

The hallways were intricate, she barely understood the system of corridors and when they stopped in front of a large oak door she nearly ran then. " hey" Inuyasha caught her attention. " don't be so afraid I'm not going to let anything happen to you while your here. This place is my home, I love you." he leaned down and kissed her forehead. That stilled her, helped her to breath and she even managed to smile and nod as he knocked on the door.

" enter." a deep male voice came from behind the door. Inuyasha looked at her briefly and opened the door.

" father, brother." he said and pulled Kagome to his side. " I wish to mate this human woman." he declared making Kagome's face turn scarlet.


	2. Chapter 2

Kagome looked around the rustic space. The two demon males looked at her with a mixture of curiosity and disapproval. She recognized Sesshomaru he sat to his fathers left and frowned deeply at her arrival. The elder of the two though invited her closer.

" Inuyasha, who is this woman, by Sesshomaru's reaction I see she is no stranger to you. Why have I not come across her before." the king asked looking at his youngest son with more then curiosity, he had never seen his son look at the demon women around the keep and neither had he joined the others in the human villages during the raids. This was unexpected to say the least but then again his son was an expert in the unexpected.

Inuyasha nodded understanding what his father wanted from him. He stepped closer with her in tow and bowed showing his respect. " father, this woman is an old friend of mine, she has been living on the coastal lands with her family for the duration of the war. She has returned and I wish to make my intentions known." he said confidently.

His father snorted. " so you have. Tell me girl, what is your name... and do you wish to be mated to my youngest son." he looked at Kagome who was trembling. She jumped when he addressed her and struggled to find the words.

" i-uh my name is Kagome. I love your son" she stammered and Inuyasha smiled at her admission.

" do you know what a mating between a human and demon is child." Sesshomaru sighed annoyed he knew the girl had no idea and smirked. " its a sharing of power. What kind of power can you contribute as a puny human?" he looked on with disapproval clear in his gaze.

" watch it Sesshomaru." Inuyasha started growling. Kagome swallowed the lump that was forming in her throat.

" what are you, human that you dare to encroach on our bloodline." he snarled earning a calming gesture from his father and he settled back down, his point made.

Kagome was getting angry, she hadn't known that Inuyasha was the son of the demon king but she was not common herself. Standing with the confidence of some one of her upbringing she straightened her shoulders " I am the eldest daughter of the lord of the central territories, I do not come here to take from you, I do not need your wealth or your power." she glared daggers at Sesshomaru who was now regarding her with interest.

" son do you know whom you have brought into our home?" the king asked rubbing his brow. Inu no Taisho felt his blood pressure rise and he thought about the vacation time that he was due from his sons. He growled low and met his sons fiery eyes. He groaned inwardly and resigned himself for another war. Thinking about it he did a mental inventory of his soldiers and weaponry.

" I didn't know father, but I my mind is made up. I want this woman." he said sure. He almost heard the groan his father was trying to mask with a growl and smiled.

" you know what kind of headache your giving me Inuyasha. I am not pleased with your choice. It was enough that our population is diminished from the war and the humans are near extinct in these parts." inu no Taisho looked at both the woman and his son in front of him and shook his head. He saw the wheels turning in his sons expression and braced himself for whatever reason he though up this time to justify the trouble he was bringing to them. _Wait for it-_

" that is exactly why this will work. Father if we mate then for the first time since I was born there will be a human here, we can pave the way for a new alliance, just give us a chance." he said urging his father to agree. Amber eyes locked and it was a battle of wills.

 _There._ The eldest inu thought carefully for what seemed like an eternity before he nodded. " you have my blessing-. Inuyasha. Where are you going?" he asked surprised. Inuyasha had abruptly turned around and was dragging Kagome away.

" we have to go see her father now. So I can either break her engagement, or break her intendeds legs." he called over his shoulder at the last moment.

" Inuyasha!" his father growled. "she has an intended! What are you trying to do restart the war?" his father growled getting angry all over again. Inuyasha waved and promised not to do anything rash as he threw her over his shoulder and ran out of the palace and far from his fathers wrath.

He wondered if his son even cared about getting his blessing. Probably not. Looking at his elder son, who smugly crossed his arms and politically hid the smirk that threatened to break his stoic mask. He growled and cursed the lax discipline of his youngest son.

" don't say it-" Taisho growled.

" I told you he'd be the one to start the next war." Sesshomaru got up and walked out of the throne room. There was an amused gate to his walk that made his father growl annoyed at his elder sons' caviler attitude. _Both of his sons needed a good beating._

It was a long time before he stopped. Kagome was ill and when her feet touched the ground she stumbled and grabbed a hold of him nearly wretching.

" whoa easy there, I got you." he said and picked her up.

" what has just happened." she said looking at him. He stared at her trying to figure out if she was mad at him or not. " my father is a shogun, your father is a demon king, they hate each other. How are we going to be together when our families are at war." Kagome said. She had managed not to cry during this entire ordeal but alone with Inuyasha she couldn't help the worry that had begun to eat at her.

" don't worry about them, father gets angry with me but hes not going to let anything happen to endanger us, he likes you, he just doesn't know what to do about your father, or your intended." he shrugged and tried to lighten her mood. She sniffed.

" do you?" she asked

Inuyasha was quiet for a moment. " I wont let anything stand between us, consequences be damned." he said not making her happy but answering her question. He would kill them if he had to. She shifted not knowing how she felt about it, she had been in fear of her father since her mother passed away, he had been depressed and reclusive and not above hitting her when she disappointed him. His wife was a tyrant herself and they had raised their son to become his heir leaving her aside to marry off to the richest suitor.

Lord Hojo was a loudmouthed man with a deviancy for pain. She had been dreading their union since it was announced. Her father had agreed because of his families bordering lands and the wealth of the trade routs that ran through their property. He himself was too eager to join, she suspected that he wanted to hurt her they way the rumors say, and the disappearances reinforced all of the suspicions she held, she had even lost a hand maiden from her court that had turned up beaten to death in his palace after just a few weeks. She had mourned the loss of the sweet girl.

Inuyasha watched her with a sense of knowing, he felt her fear and her anxiety as though it were his own. " I'm not going to let anyone hurt you Kagome, with me you are truly safe from any one, demon or human." he vowed and took her hand in his own. Raising it to his lips he kissed it.

Her heart spiked and she felt the warmth in her fingers where he had kissed them. Nodding she did not want to reveal her fears to him, yet. She wanted to know him like she had when they had been children. She smiled and squeezed his hand before letting it go and smiling playfully at him. Jumping back she grinned " I bet I can still outrun you." she laughed and took off.

Inuyasha laughed out and pursued her. She ran laughing and felt his presence just behind her like when she was young, and knew he was faster then her but held back so they could play longer. He fought the instincts threatening to end their game early, He wanted to grab her to continue this game wrapped in each others arms in a passionate embrace. He could feel her heartbeat, She was within his reach, wanting to be caught but not understanding the feelings she was experiencing. He felt her curiosity, the longing for the easy days of their youth, and he wanted it too.

Kagome tripped and before she hit the ground Inuyasha tumbled over her and caught her too him shielding her from the impact. She laughed and wrestled with him remembering how much fun she had as a child. He looked up at her beautiful smile and her eyes looking at him with joy and turned over pinning her to the ground.

" what happened, you always used to let me wi-" she was silenced with a kiss, he was overwhelmed with his need to feel her close to him. It was almost too much. Inuyasha was fighting his predatory nature, she was unaware of his struggle to restrain himself and maintain his control until the treaties were worked out, but she had appealed to his beast by acting as prey and fleeing from him, and then fighting him when he caught her. His human heart held him back but the demon in him wanted to claim her then and there. "win." she finished when he pulled back. She licked her bottom lip and he nearly took her mouth again.

He needed to get himself under control, taking a breath he smiled. " I wanted to win this time." he panted and she smiled unaware of the danger she was in. his claws itched to grab her, he could feel the heavy breaths against his neck and chest and growled liking the closeness they shared. She smiled and felt her cheeks stain red seeing the desire in his eyes and feeling his growl rumble through her.

" fair enough." she laughed making a joke of their situation and waited for him. " Inuyasha, are you going to let me up?" she snorted and pecked him on the chin making it even harder. He smiled a lazy, confident, smile and breathed in her scent and nodded.

"i am," he struggled and reluctantly moved off of her. " I don't want to but for your sake I will." he did stand and held out his hand to help her. She took his hand gratefully, looking at his broad shoulders and strong arms she admired him blushing. He felt her appraisal and only sightly wondered if her was up to her standards. He wasn't as tall or broad as Sesshomaru, though he had striven to overcome his brother during his growing years. He smiled when she did not take her eyes off of him blushing. " like what you see, Kagome?" he chuckled making her tear her eyes off of his chest. She stammered and huffed.

" I never said that I didn't" she said defensively. " I was just looking, you are a lot bigger then you used to be, its strange." she crossed her arms and eyed his arms once more. He flexed looking for the reaction, she gasped and swatted his arm. And he swept her up taking her in his arms and carrying her away " you are encouragable," she grumbled.

" I never said I wasn't." he smirked making her huff again and cross her arms. She did smile though and her laughter filled his spirit and drove his feet closer to her fathers castle. Inuyasha was glad to have her with him, in his arms trusting his strength to see them through to the end of the journey. Kagome drifted to sleep in his arms and he walked in near silence for a while thinking about the time he had spent waiting for this moment. The days spent in front of the statue of the great priestess had taught him to revere her malevolent gaze. The other statues didn't share that kind of resonance, like she truly had been frozen in time there. He doubted it, thought that there might be a spirit inhabiting the stone or vines that shrouded her. Her gentle snores brought his attention back to her face. He brushed back the bangs from her eyes and stared at her calm features.

She had grown too, she was not the round faced child he remembered, this woman in his arms was long and lean with the shape of a woman. Her face was etched in regal lines of her jaw and soft curves of her cheeks and brow making her look every much the princess she was. He had been bewildered when she had walked through the garden gate, she was not what he had expected, she was so beautiful, so grown up, that it had saddened him that he had missed so much time with her.

" Inuyasha," she whispered in her sleep, he stopped and his ears perked froward. _She is dreaming about me._ He thought smiling again to himself. " don't go... no father" she began to struggle. He stopped and held her thrashing body, trying to keep her from hurting herself. She cried and gasped coming awake and trying to bolt.

He watched angered at her terror, he felt the urge to shove her fathers head through a wall. Gently though he stroked her face trying to calm her down. " Kagome, I wont let any one hurt you." he promised taking the side of her face in his clawed hand. She nodded though her heart was still beating out of control. The dream had felt real, she was shaking feeling the weight and disappointment of her fathers stare. The impact of his fist and worst the endless nights locked away in her chamber waiting for her fathers anger to subside enough for him to let her out. Sometimes it was days. She swallowed the lump in her throat and tried not to share her fears. Tucking them away she straightened up and took a breath.

Inuyasha could feel her whirlwind emotions, he had been able to tell her fear of her father, he wanted to press the matter and find out why, but she had closed herself off to him, he saw her mental barriers clearly intact and left it alone for a moment.

Kagome took a moment to herself and calmed down. She still didn't look Inuyasha in the eye. She was shamed that her dreams would reveal so much out of her control. Inuyasha had been hanging back and allowing her some space, she looked shaken. He guessed from years of abuse by her reactions, he had seen many cases like this through the villages, but not many had been nobles, the fear and anxiety were evident markers, he wished that he cold get her to talk to him, get her to share some of the burden she was carrying in her soul.

They walked in silence for the rest of the afternoon, she was shying away from him, his temper flared, but not at her. He wanted to hold her and caress away her fears, but in her current state that might cause her to bolt from him. He settled for touching her hand every once in a while to assure her that he was there for her.

" Kagome, there is a neutral village ahead. This is the territory of the human, though demons may pass through." he pointed to the light in the coming twilight. She looked at the light of the city and glanced at him.

" pass through? You mean your not coming?" she asked as though it were silly for him to stay.

" this is the shogun Sensuke's land, my father has a pact with them but he and I have never seen eye to eye." he shrugged. " there is no reason you shouldn't sleep in a bed tonight, just because of me." he said and pushed her toward the village. Kagome looked back at his smile she could not believe what was happening.

" I'm not going to that village!" she said making him cringe with the stubbornness he heard in her voice. She raised her chin defiantly and dug her heels into the dirt. " I am going where you are going. Don't try to be rid of me!" she said accusing him. He growled.

" I'm not trying to ditch you. I don't want you to sleep out here. " he grimaced when she huffed and crossed her arms. Sighing he saw no way around her will except to throttle her, he didn't think that would get them any where. " fine Kagome," he slumped.

Inuyasha made a small resting place along the dirt road that lead to the village. He made sure they were far enough from it that travelers would not disturb them. Turning to her he saw the anxiety in her, wondered if she didn't want to be alone in the village, which was why she didn't want to leave him. He frowned. There was something going on that she hadn't mentioned, and it was keeping her awake.

He watched her try to sleep for hours. She rolled and tossed looking for comfort but only getting frustrated and sitting up grumbling and exhausted. He folded his arms and smelled the helpless tears that streamed down her face. " Kagome." he said and approached her. She looked up at him after hurriedly wiping her eyes and clearing her throat to hide her tears. He frowned.

" you haven't slept at all, Kagome." he said and came to sit next to her. She leaned her head on his shoulder and held on to his arm. Sniffling she sought comfort he was willing to give her. He held her against him cradling her as she held on to him like a lifeline. " what has happened that you are so afraid?" he asked hoping she wouldn't fight him. He felt helpless, fighting an unknown enemy, something that scared her awake and made her tremble even with his strength beside her.

" I am worried about the way my father will react to our joining. If he is displeased there will be nothing that I can do to stop his wrath." she shuddered and grasped his sleeve in her clenched fist.

" so what if hes mad, its your life Kagome," he said making her gasp shocked.

" how can you say that, you are a prince yourself and are bound by loyalty and blood." she looked up at him wondering if he was serious.

" so what if I'm a prince, my father does not control my life, I live as I wish. What would be so bad about not fulfilling your obligations to _them_ and just being happy?" he asked, she shook her head.

" I have disobeyed my father-" she said and the color drained out of her face and she shut down. Inuyasha got angry and made her look at him.

" what did he do?" he pressed and Kagome shied away. He growled and as she tried to struggle free and avoid this. Instinct took him. He felt her defiance and grabbed her as she stood out of his arms and pulled her back and held her to him. He growled, a predator in that moment. She shook like the prey she was in that moment and he made his demand known, again.

" it isn't that big of a deal, and its not every day, but the beatings are... harsh and I hate to be locked in my chamber, its normal punishment though so I shouldn't be so..." she bit back the tears and recited the she had told herself to get by with the crushing depression. Inuyasha stilled. He felt rage in his stomach, was beginning to see red when he heard the soft cries from the woman in his arms. She was ashamed of what she had become. She was afraid, she knew and Inuyasha did not deserve to deal with her instability.

" I'm sorry," she sniffed

" why are you apologizing." he growled.

 _Is he mad?_ She thought and swallowed the lump in her throat. " I did not mean to burden you with my troubles." she tried and was met with an enraged growl.

" he hurts you Kagome! You don't have to apologize for being hurt." he insisted and turned to her, he brushed her hair out of her face and feathered his thumb down the side of her neck raising goose bumps in its wake. She took a few steadying breaths. " I will not give you back to that bastard. He will not stand between us, nothing will." he made his statement a truth in his heart and braced himself for the emotional waves that were sure to come on this journey. They were still two days out of the coastal plateau and three days from her fathers palace. With this time he wanted to repair some of the damage that her father had inflicted on her soul.

" I want to believe you, Inuyasha, but the treaty was signed, I am engaged to lord Hojo, and he will be coming after us." she sighed. " forgive me for dragging you through all this." she apologized again out of habit.

" not one more time, Kagome. Don't you apologize one more time. I am a demon, and I am also a man, I don't do what I do not want to do and I decided years ago that no matter what you were mine." he was about to call war down on her fathers head and he would not hide behind his walls and palace guard again. This time it was personal. He watched the mixed emotions flicker across her face and she swallowed back the fear that threatened to consume her. He took her face in his hands and kissed her slowly. " you are my mate, Kagome. I will not loose you." he grumbled against her lips.

" I love you, Inuyasha." she closed her eyes as he descended on her again taking her to the ground and laying her across the cloth of his haori she had been using as protection from the ground. Settling above her he rested his weight on his elbows and nuzzled her neck and jawline earning small gasps and sighs. He wanted her, not just sexually. The sadness in her soul cried out to him to soothe her worries, to help her to obtain the compassion that she had yearned for growing from child to adulthood. Her spirit was subdued, yearning to be freed from the fear she had lived in for so long. He caressed her hair and kissed her soft lips loving the way she wanted him. Her small hands gingerly sought him. Touched his arms and ran up his shoulders. He groaned feeling the anticipation for pleasure and tried to reign in his excitement without much luck.

Kagome breathed shallowly trying to keep the want she had for this closeness at bay. Her treacherous hands betrayed her, drawn to his body like magnets, she felt her breath catch when his fang scraped her throat. Groaning she felt his need of her pressed firmly against her low stomach. Need and self preservation battled within her making her gut clench in guilt and shame. She wanted him, she tried to deny it, and yet wanted so badly to be able to run away from the fear and dread that held her heart.

" let go of your fear, I will never leave you, I will not hurt you." he promised kissing her at each pause. She gasped feeling overwhelmed with emotion. He was fanning the embers that threatened to become a raging inferno within her. He sucked in a hard breath and paused feeling her press into him wanting the closeness as he did. Inuyasha felt her heat and shifted his knee between her legs not being able to stop himself from reacting to her need. Pressing his knee into her center he felt her gasp and shift against him trying to relieve the slow ache that started from her center. Feeling the warmth of her body through her cloths he held a deep breath while she tentatively explored his back and thighs. She moved against his knee pressing her sensitive spot on the firmness of his thigh and trying to stop herself from shaming herself further with these wanton feelings. She didn't understand why this had overwhelmed her, his closeness, his need. She was an adult, she knew about the things between a man and a woman from lessons and stories that spoke of love and passion, but feeling firsthand his aggressive want of her was nothing like what she had read about, and treaty be damned she wanted him too.

" I cant-" she protest turned to a moan as he jerked his knee into her jolting her body like an electric shock. She closed her eyes and breathed slowly. Above them a screech owl sounded an eerie call, and soared through the night. There was a horse and buggy traveling down the road. Mens' voices could be heard. They were hushed but arguing over the welfare of a woman.

" she has to be here, she's just one idiotic woman, where could she hide in this forest, she cant even find her way through the forest. Her father assured me that she was simple and thus incapable of escaping our arrangement."

" but sir, the lady Kagome has expressed... displeasure in hr engagement to you. Don't you think maybe there is some one else who might also want the lords daughter?" the unidentified man said in a hushed voice. Inuyasha froze, listening to the hushed voiced he guessed were the lord Hojo and his man servant. Kagome was trembling below him, she heard them too. Slowly they passed.

Inuyasha looked at Kagome and she let go of the breath she had been holding. Bringing her hand up to rub the weariness out of her eye she took slow gulping breaths to calm the hysteria before it could escape. "that was the lord Hojo voice. He is coming after me as I warned." she whispered.

Inuyasha grinned a wide cocky grin and rested on his elbows above her. " I dare him to interrupt us now." he said and kissed her passionately. Kagome was swept away in the feel of his hard body against her soft one. he held her against him, moving against her, trying so very hard to become her lover through the worry and fears of people who'd hurt her in the past. She grasped his shoulders welcoming the warmth of his embrace. He had caught the scent of that lord and stored it in his archive, he would deal with this intended who thought Kagome was a pretty ornament for his bed. The man had blood on him, the blood of women surrounded him and he'd be damned before he allowed him any where near Kagome. Her breath caught when he dragged his knee away from her and sank into her, pressed intimately against her.

" we must stop, its too much." she gasped feeling her entire body turn crimson with embarrassment and shame.

" stop what?" he said pressing into her.

Kagome cut her eyes at him feeling the pressure and not liking the way her body stood at the edge of an inferno. " we cannot be together yet, my father will put me to death." she struggled against unmovable limbs that did not let go of her.

" Kagome, you have something all wrong. I'm not going to your fathers palace to ask him for his permission." he said stilling her struggling, she looked up at him curiously but remained silent. " I am going to show him that he has no power to destroy people. That you, deserve some one who will protect you and love you. I will not allow this man the right to say yes or no to our being together."

" what? Can you do that, he has an entire army at his disposal." she gasped.

" I wont allow him to separate us. My father also has armies, but I don't think it will come to that, especially if I kill that Hojo man before we ever arrive." he shrugged and it peeked his interest when she did not react as he expected with sadness or grief for a dead human. She just looked at him and nodded. Her eyes gave him a chill that ran down his spine, this man must be a beast to not warrant the sympathy from Kagome's loving heart. He would find out, and then he would assure that he never hurts another woman.

Inuyasha did not allow her to roll away from him when he removed himself from over her, grabbing her waste he laid behind her and pulled her to his chest, spooned against his body. Using his arm as a pillow Kagome rested against him, done fighting the stubbornness of this inu male. She was worried still, listened for the hoof beats and buggy that would bring lord Hojo right to them. She shifted trying to fight the pull of sleep and warmth, thought about the day after tomorrow when she would have to face her father.

" stop." Inuyasha grumbled and she looked back at his closed eyes and regretted waking him. Instead of apologizing she sighed and settled down and was silent. Within moments Kagome closed her eyes and succumbed to the pull of sleep. For the first time since she had left her coastal palace she slept, but not with the anxious foreboding slumber that was interrupted by the sound of her locking door. It was safe, silent and when she opened her eyes, she could not remember when she had fallen asleep.

Inside the village on a narrow street the sounds of a woman's cries could be heard softly praying for the pain to stop. She was bound, hands and wrists tied together, with the glittering eyes of what she thought had been a handsome young lord upon her. He walked around her and she trembled. It had turned so quickly, one moment he was convincing her of his dazzling palace and her place with him, and then he had her away from everyone, and she had willingly gone. He withdrew a knife and drew a line down her chest, clicking his tongue he shook his head.

"hmm from a distance you reminded me of some one, but as I get a better look you are not the one that I want." he sighed and waved the knife in an exasperated gesture, she winced and held her breath not daring to breath with the blade so close.

" please let me go, I do not know the woman, I am only a farmers daughter-" she was cut short by the blade that buried in her neck. She gurgled and the fear overwhelmed her as what started as a smirk widened into a full grin and he laughed aloud as the life force drained from her eye sand she lay still.

Lord Hojo let her fall to the dirty street and he stepped over the blood that ran as a river from her body. His man servant was there waiting at the edge of the ally way with a towel for his hands and a new buggy ready to return to their inn.

" my lord there is an onsen here in the city I've heard is renowned in the area." the servant bowed to his master and watched as his black boots walked away from him towards the buggy. Hurrying to catch him he opened the door and followed him in. sitting across from him he watched the cold stare that glazed over him, he always had it when he killed the young women. It was a sickness, and addiction and he supported his masters instability. It was a lifestyle that he was accustomed to, his family had always served his family, they had grown up together. They had seen everything together as master and servant. Now he watched as his master sought one woman whom had peeked his interest and had eluded him as so few had been able to do. He knew it vexed the confidant man in front of him. They had made a game of getting his way, it was either that or the dark spiraling nights of drinking would drive him to fight and destroy himself in drunken brawls and self mutilation. No he could not go back to that brand of darkness. This one, killing the whores and easily swayed women was nothing to weep about. They made their bed with the lives they led. He was in the business of keeping his master happy. He would do anything for him.


	3. Chapter 3

When Kagome woke she was alarmed by the death grip that held her against a hard unmovable surface. It seemed to envelop her and her sleep dazed mind could not comprehend her situation. Struggling to be freed she ran the possibilities in her mind and none of then were any good.

A pair of lips came down on her shoulder. " finally awake, Kagome. I thought you were going to sleep all day." a males voice startled her and she remembered the events of the previous day and sighed thankful for the person beside her.

" Inuyasha" she smiled and turned over to greet him. He swept her up and moved over her liking the stain of pink that lit her cheeks. " good morning" she smiled and raised her hand to stroke the side of his face.

Inuyasha felt his heart rate accelerated. She had been afraid when she woke up. He could feel the currents of distress rolling around her, and then she had said his name and was glad. He had dreampt of the fears and abuse she lived in, it enraged him beyond words that she had gone through so much while away from his protection. But taking her into his arms he held her close and was comforted by her as he tried to express himself.

It was a few moments before he could drag himself away from her warm body enough to sit up and look at the dawn. It was just past sun up ans he wanted to be through the city before the lord Hojo was even out of bed. He stood and helped her to stand. Gathering his outer covering he retied the fastenings of his houri.

Kagome was quiet in the light of the early morning, she rubbed the sleep from her eyes and followed him through the brambly forest. They did not get back on the road, Inuyasha scented for the carriage and lord, finding them still within the city gates. He was unable to reach them within Sensuke's' boarders. The fat lord was an ill tempered idiot, in Inuyasha's' opinion. He had gotten into an altercation with the man when he had tried to force the hand of a young village woman. She had screamed out for help and Sensuke had only laughed. It sent him over the edge and he hit him, hard. His father had forbade him from entering the city borders on the off chance they had another altercation. His father had told him, that though he had done the honorable thing, the humans would not take being policed by a half demon easily.

The city gates were behind them in a matter of an hour and he tried hard not to think about the selfish bastards that he so wanted to pummel. He forced his mind away from the lord and glanced at Kagome who had been silent for most of the trip. He thought it was because of the early hour and her restless nights sleep. Though, the few hours they they did get he had thought they were pretty restful.

Kagome saw him glance over and pretended not to notice as he watched her. She yawned and stretched trying to shrug off the attention with platitudes. He didn't let her. " still tired. I could carry you so you can sleep for longer?" he asked. She shook her head.

" that is not necessary, ill wake up more in a moment, " she dismissed his offer bushing and making him frown in disappointment. He nodded accepting her answer but he didn't let her return to the silence.

" did you dream?" he asked taking her hand. She hesitated.

" yes." she whispered.

" tell me about it" he asked making her look at him frustrated.

" I don't want to ruin a beautiful day before it has even begun." she muttered trying to shake the interrogation. Turning to him she leaned her head against his chest and allowed him to hold her. It was a fight within herself to overcome the hurt she had experience and make way for the love he offered her. She willed her heart to accept the things that he told her. That there was a way out of the misery that had ruled her. But the fears she held with her held her heart hostage. Taking a deep breath she willed herself to smile.

" oh baby, don't do that to me" he begged seeing the fakeness of her smile. He took her in his arms and held her tightly. She sighed and resigned to the embrace that stole her breath. His arms closed around her like bands of iron but held her gently and she let him not knowing what else to do. She was tired and the fears that bade her to run were the things that drove his footsteps closer. He kissed her forehead and pulled back to look at her properly. She was blushing and her eyes were downcast. He brought his hand to lift her chin and kiss her gently on the nose. " don't worry so much. I know you haven't seen me fight but I assure you that I cant protect you. He said trying to cheer her up.

" I don't want you to fight Inuyasha. If you got hurt, or killed because of my inability to control myself I could not live with myself." she said trying to be honest. He pursed his lips and nodded. It was a valid reason, he didn't agree with it but he understood where she was coming from. He sighed and smiled.

" you really are cute Kagome." he chuckled and released her only to take her hand and lead her on towards their destination.

" what? Why!" she said confused and sputtered at him.

He only smiled and kept walking for a moment. " you will understand what kind of man I am soon enough." he laughed.

" I understand you, your stubborn," she snapped irritated by him.

" extremely." he replied casually.

" with the fluffiest ears ever." she added on making him cringe.

" hey now, why do you have to mention the ears? They didn't do anything." he said looking wounded. She laughed and reached up to tweak one of them and it twitched out of her grip and flattened to his head.

" they're cute." she smiled and saw an opportunity to resume an old game from their youth. Inuyasha eyed her and crossed his arms reacting the same way he did as a child to her calling his cute. " you know being sensitive about them isn't going to make them go away." she smiled and he came to a stop.

" that's true for more then just my ears Kagome." he said making Kagome stick her tongue out at him.

" but if you let me touch them, it might help your anxiety" she said. It was something she had always wanted to do. They were so strange to her, she had wanted to pet them from the moment she saw them but the attempt always ended in a wrestling match where he refused to yield to her.

" okay." he answered and took a seat on the ground.

" really?" she looked a little apprehensive and a little excited. Stepping up behind him she reached for them.

" on one condition." he stopped her and looked back and flashed a fang in a smirk.

" what condition?" she asked bewildered.

" I will let you touch my ears any time you want...if you tell me what how feeling every time I ask." he compromised. Kagome looked at him on the edge of bitterness. Then looking at the fluffy ears that she had desired to have since she had first saw them and thought hard about it.

"ill be truthful even when it will ruin the day." she said.

" I doubt that. I'm stubborn." he replied offhand. He didn't think she honestly had a true picture of the person she was. She had a big heart and cared deeply about people. It was obvious to him when they were children and though she was plagued by the depression and fear of the obligations she was still concerned about every one but herself. This would be a compromise more on her part, his ears were sensitive, it tickled to let someone mess with them but her sanity and trust was worth the small discomfort."

"i will remember you said so," she said as her fingers touched the tip of his soft ear. Inuyasha held his breath, it had been a while since any one but him touched his ears and he only scratched them occasionally. Kagome gasped feeling the silkiness, the outside of it was coated in soft velvet fur that was softer then she had ever expected and then brushing her fingers along the edge she grasped it and caressed the inner ear.

Inuyasha was still holding his breath when she found the sensitive inner ear and he let out the breath in a groan. He was unable to stop himself when his foot inched forward and to his embarrassment he thumped his foot and let out another loud groan.

His performance startled Kagome at first. She had thought when he groaned at first that she had pinched him but seeing his foot thumping like a puppy made her giggle. It was too cute and something she would have expected out of his younger self but certainly not the man in front of her. He didn't even try to hide the pleasure he was experiencing.

Kagome blushed feeling excited about making him feel something like that. Inuyasha sagged and was reduced to a groaning puddle. She leaned down and gave him a kiss. It was one of the first she had initiated and was excited to feel his lips against hers. He returned her kiss with zeal.

Not far in the distance there was a caravan riding down the road parallel to them coming away from the city. There was a loud shout.

" Inuyasha I have been made aware of your presence here in my lands. Come out and lets settle the score between us you sniveling bastard." he shouted.

" Sensuke." Inuyasha growled and stood up. He had a dark glint in his eye and Kagome took a step back not sure what just happened but she did not see the Inuyasha she knew when she looked at him. His posture and stance had changed to that of a warlord and he looked ready to kill. Swallowing down the anxiety she felt just then she took his hand,

" what will you do?" she asked.

Inuyasha didn't answer right away, he looked down on her with something akin to regret and turned. " I will go, please wait for me here." he said and looked at the passing caravan.

Inuyasha stepped onto the road and answered the lords call. " Sensuke you old drag queen, I thought this was a neutral territory. I am passing through that is all." he crossed his arms.

The caravan lurched to a stop and a man with long red hair stepped out onto the path. " Inuyasha? Is that a woman with you, and I thought you were against taking village women." he said and looked Kagome over with lust.

" back off this is between you and me." Inuyasha fumed flustered by his lecherous gaze at Kagome. He stepped in front of her and puffed up.

Readying for a fight he ordered Kagome aback and she went to the tree line and watched as Inuyasha and the young shogun squared off. Inuyasha charged and cocked his fist back to punch him in the face when the man dodged and kneed him in the stomach. Kagome gasped but Inuyasha grabbed his leg and flipped him to the ground and pinned him punching him in the face and chest. Sensuke rolled over and withdrew his blade. Inuyasha punched him off of him and the human man flipped back and crumpled on the ground groaning in pain.

Getting up Inuyasha was on guard seeing his posture his guard was up his hands high and his feet ready to sweep him to the ground and plunge his blade in his chest. Inuyasha judged the distance and approached deceptively inching closer when Kagome screamed and he launched forward and pinned his hand to the ground and stepped hard hearing the satisfying crunch of bones. Looking up he didn't see Kagome and panicked.

" you fool, he used me to draw you out, there was a rumor about two people traveling together. You made a mistake taking Renkutsu s daughter. He will send his entire army after you." Sensuke groaned and spat.

Taking a moment Inuyasha sniffed the air and searched for her. He caught the scent of the human lord Hojo and was instantly enraged. Clenching his fist he went after them. Sensuke cursed after him but he left him on the ground with his attendants scurrying around.

Kagome was terrified. He had come up behind her covered her mouth and hauled her onto a horse. She was tied up on the back of his horse and tried not to struggle too much and fall into the galloping hooves of the horse below her. Hojo was cursing about the effort he had gone through. Kagome hated him. He looked at her like a hunk of meat and regarded her as such. He didn't even rut to speak to her and acted as if she were fortunate he had found her. " how could you go along with a half demon. That is filthy. You must be terribly disturbed to allow such a thing. I will have to strip you of those sick habits." he went on smiling an evil smirk that chilled her to the bone. She chewed at the gag and worked it loose. Freeing herself she screamed.

" Inuyasha, help me please!" Kagome cried out. She heard a crash in the trees and her heart spiked with the hope that exploded in her chest.

Out of the forest Inuyasha screamed his rage and charged the horse. Kagome was startled by the feral hatred in his eyes. He was reaching out for her, Kagome was unable to respond tied up as she was.

Inuyasha saw Kagome tied up and saw red. " you bastard give Kagome back." he shouted and drop kicked Hojo off of the horse. The horse reared back and he caught Kagome and cut away the rope with his claw. Looking at the man gasping and scrounging on the ground he got up and kicked him in the chest. " how dare you. I smell the blood of those women you killed. Its like a disgusting aura. Your not even human." Inuyasha growled. Out of nowhere a man flew at him and punched him in the face. He was dark haired and paler then most. Kagome gasped seeing him clearly. He was Hojo bodyguard. Naraku. He had a reputation of being even more twisted then his master and twice as brutal. He answered to no one except Hojo.

" who are you asshole" Inuyasha barked turning to Naraku.

" I am Naraku, you will die for harming the master." he swore and withdrew a sword. He looked menacingly at Inuyasha and they squared off.

" no Naraku get me out of here." Hojo cried gasping from being winded.

Inuyasha watched for a movement and as Naraku stepped forward to gather his master Inuyasha stepped forward and sliced with his claws. Naraku passed but not unscathed. Grabbing Hojo and setting off they both saw the lines of blood that fell from his side. Inuyasha was about to go after them when Kagome reached out and grabbed his sleeve.

" wait Inuyasha. Don't go." she asked and he looked back at the retreating backs of the men who had just kidnapped and bound her. He hated them. Wanted t hurt them worse then they had hurt Kagome. Something in him told him to stay and he did.

Inuyasha was silent, bitter about not getting the kill on any of his prey so far. It was after mid day and they still had a day and a half to travel without the extra time getting back to the road. When the reached the worn path she sighed relieved that the shogun and his group were gone. Looking at Inuyasha she knew he wanted to keep fighting. She had seen the joy and hatred when faced with the shogun and then Hojo.

She didn't know what to think. He was a capable fighter, he was fast and quick on his feet moving from attack to defense effortlessly. But there was a rage in him that until seeing him fight she had overlooked.

Before the day was over she realized how he had become this way. There were villagers walking toward them and they stopped and stared at Inuyasha. " what a freak, is it human or demon?" one man said repulsed and gawking.

" no I think its one of those half demons, he's hideous." the other replied and picked up a rock. Throwing it at Inuyasha it hit him in the side of the head and broke apart. He did not flinch but his brows furrowed and he continued walking away from them trying to ignore them. Kagome gasped and turned on them.

" how dare you hit him. What did he do?" she demanded making them step back.

" what are you doing with that piece of shit halfbreed. Get away before it eats you." the men clenched their fists and began to grab her arms to pull her away from him. Inuyasha growled and stopped them.

" leave her alone. I don't care what you say about me, leave Kagome alone." he barked and yanked her back out of their hands. She fell into his chest and caught herself. " are you alright Kagome?" he asked genuinely worried. She blushed and nodded.

" you bastard are you trying to possess her. You have cursed her into betraying her own kind." he accused and started to run away. The other got up and spat at them.

" keep her, shes a filthy whore anyway." he called back and caught up with his friend.

Kagome watched them and then turned on Inuyasha. " why did you let them talk to you that way?" she asked. He shrugged and tried to avoid this fight. " oh no you don't. I've bared my soul enough that I deserve to know what happened back there." she marched over to him and crossed her arms.

" they are always saying tings like that, since I could remember. Kagome. I am a half demon." he said.

" I know that." she answered. He shook his head.

" no, that is why this happens. They hate that the two races are able to bread and most of my kind are hunted down by both human and demons. My father is the king and so he chose to keep me and no one had the authority to stop him. That does not mean that they dont mercilessly remind me of what an abomination I am." he clenched his fists and punched a tree thinking about the teasing and torture he had endured.

Kagome saw him as though he were a new man. She had thought him careless and tough with no fear, but she was wrong, this man was, just a man after all. Smiling she shook her head.

" I don't think tat at all. I am grateful for you actually." she started walking toward her home. He looked up confused and walked after her questioning her about why she was smiling. She just laughed. " you just seem a little more human to me. Lets go Inuyasha. My fathers going to be disappointed... I don't know what he'll do but I don't think I'm going to worry about it." she said

" why, cause you saw I can take a little teasing." he snickered. " geez your gullible, if id known this earlier id have let Sesshomaru kick my ass two days ago and saved us the time." he laughed.

" its not about the teasing, though I wouldn't call a rock to the head teasing, even though you were angry at them you didn't hurt them even when they tried to hurt you. I was kind of scared when I saw you fight earlier-"

" I told you." he said seriously. " its always been that way when I fight. I just hate to loose."

" yes but you didn't hurt those men just now. Inuyasha you really surprised me, I thought you were supposed to be cutthroat. You had me thinking, Inuyasha, and not for the better but just then you reminded me of someone I used to know when I was a kid. We were out in the garden we found a small birds nest the mother had broken her wing and he joked about eating it, but instead he splinted the wing and went back every day until she was healed." she laughed.

" I remember, it was a good one too I could have eaten it, might still." he said snickering at Kagome's surprised gasp and the punch she tried to deliver to his arm.

" I know you weren't going to eat that bird! Inuyasha it broke your heart that the bird was hurt." she said sure that she was right.

Inuyasha shrugged and pulled her to him for a kiss, she raised to her toes and met him half way. After seeing Hojo and Inuyasha fight she wasn't as afraid of being caught by Hojo. His guard was a different story, he was insane, she saw it in the recklessness of his fighting, but he had frozen in his tracks when Hojo called him back. That terrified her, together those two men would be trouble, but Inuyasha was also a handful. She had sen his heart, and his passion for the fight, she hoped his passion for war wasn't as enthusiastic.

" lets go, we will reach my fathers palace the day after tomorrow, if we travel through the night though, we can make it by tomorrow afternoon. What do you think?" she asked the demon who stared intently at her, he was barely paying attention and she had to repeat herself.

" oh yeah, don't worry if you need to sleep ill just carry you." he said and took her hand and didn't turn back.

Lord Hojo and his servant Naraku raced through the changing terrain and rounded the great cliff side to see the cliff side palace. It was a formidable keep resting on the side of a sheer cliff. It was a strategic goldmine and sat aligned with the rising islands that were protection from any attack from sea. There was only one way in or out of the palace and it meant going through three checkpoints. Hojo was used to the hassle of going before this particular shogun. He was a shrewd businessman and a ruthless competitor. Someone that was best kept on his good side.

A guard came to meet them as he dismounted his horse and he made his intention to see the shogun known. It was a short wait, after all he was supposed to be in the inland territory claiming his new bride, not addressing his brides father on why she was missing and with whom.

When the lord walked in Hojo was met with cold blue eyes. The man looked as if he had no patience for his time being wasted and that he had better make it worth his time.

" my lord Renkutsu, I have very regrettable news concerning your daughter." he started kneeling to show his respect. The shogun nodded and waved him up not wanting to toil on etiquette

" what has happened? Is she dead? Why are you here?" he asked making Hojo nervous. Naraku stepped forward but he shook his head and he stepped back.

" no, she has evaded our agreement and has run away with a half demon. I have seen them with my own eyes. He is a monster." Hojo reported. " I want your permission to pursue him, with four of your most skilled fighters and that she should be greatly punished for disgracing her engagement to me." Hojo was surly and it showed. He was still sore from the kick to the chest and he wanted that half demon to pay.

Renkutsu considered his words and his brow furrowed. " she has disobeyed a direct order and runaway from me? Are you sure."

I believe they are in rout to arrive here tomorrow. Allow me to meet them and eliminate the half demon." Hojo pressed. Renkutsu held his hand up to silence him.

" let them come, I will convince my daughter of her choice, you have my permission to kill the demon, but after I see him for myself. Don't worry lord Hojo, you will have your bride, if I have anything to do with it.


	4. Chapter 4

Sesshomaru stepped out on to the travel worn path and looked down th road to the city in front of him. This was supposed to be Sensuke's home city. It had been displeasing to say the least when they had gotten word of his brothers fighting. Apparently the low level commanders arm was broken and he was starting to talk about conflicts between their boarders. He had watched the calm exchange between the ambassador and his father but had seen the rage the mans ambassador had caused in his fathers eyes. Sesshomaru had stood up at that moment and excused himself.

Now standing at the edge of Sensuke's land he contemplated descending into the village and walking through the streets. snorting at the notion of lowering himself to common transportation he jumped high into the air, soared above the village and landed on the balcony of the lords manor. He saw him inside being attended to by a servant woman. She smelled of repulsion and fear, the lord was pathetic.

Strolling through the opened door he startled the commander and sent the servant girl running. He flexed his claws and casually went to the place where Sensuke scurried to get his sword.

" You are causing trouble for us." Sesshomaru stared the human down.

" Its your brother that's causing trouble, there were three murders here in my lands when he passed through, he broke my arm and brought that creepy lord with his henchman to my door all in one day! Tell me why I shouldn't go back to war!" he was shaky at first but naming Inuyasha's offenses his voice grew stronger.

" Impossible, Inuyasha does not kill the likes of woman or children. This lord, you don't think he is capable of something like this?" he pressed standing over the cowering man.

" well- he might have. But _he's human_ , why would he do that to human women, that's crazy."he said offended. " but if he did-" he thought carefully about his situation. The two sons of his rival had both accosted him within a day of each other and his defenses were no match for the either of them, thinking about an army of them was... exhausting. " wait where are you going?" Sensuke was taken back by his sudden departure Sesshomaru was walking away to the window and was poised to jump. Sesshomaru paused as he stepped on to the sill.

" I have somewhere to be... oh and Sensuke, if we do go to war, I will kill you myself." he warned and then lept through the city landing outside the walls. Taking another leap he saw the vast expanses of forest in front of him. Using the canopy to accelerate himself through the forest he found the path his brother had taken, he smelled the the battlefield and the scent of an enemy along the way. Each stop told him more and more of the journey his brother took and what happened along the way. Noticing a sudden split in the two paths he considered following his brother to the ocean palace, it would be easy to catch up with them, but he was not interested in seeing them.

Sesshomaru chose to follow the path of the enemy. It was interesting to him how they winded through the forest making so much progress up the mountain. Taking their rout with his speed as a demon, he crested the mountain to look at the glittering ocean, and then down at the fortress below him. He spotted the checkpoints from there and scaled the mountain side evading them easily. As he stepped onto the top of the outer wall he looked down at both sides, inside there were villagers, fisherman and tradesman and soldiers all retiring to their homes in the afternoons darkening hours. He himself was not affected by tiredness as humans were and watched the flaws in their defenses as they appeared. He watched for hours at the corner of the guard walls, the soldiers walked to and fro below him.

" I see you." he smiled looking into the palace and watching the face that matched the scent of his enemy, they were two human males, not formidable but one of the two had eyes that reminded him of some one who he had fought before, a bandit that fought almost like a demon. But in the end, he had fallen, after all what was a human warrior compared to a demon warlord.

Inuyasha walked at Kagome's pace, though he knew she was wearing down. He had offered to carry her three times and been refused. She was quiet again and when he asked her how she was she had promptly answered "tired" and been done with it. He sighed.

" they are so beautiful." she said getting his attention. He looked at her and she was staring into the sky at the stars.

" yeah, they are," he replied and she slowed down he backed up and considered her carefully. She was asleep. He laughed scooped her up and walked on. He traveled faster while she was sleeping, not being held back at her pace. He lept from tree to tree leaving the forest behind them and breaking away to the beach. He saw the rocks and sand and the waves cresting on the beach. He was amazed, having only been here a hand full of times in his life.

He walked out to the sand and watched the suns rays touch the water and rise slowly. He sensed the familiar aura of his brother and wondered why he was there, he wasn't going to go and look for that sarcastic prick, but he was glad that if he got in over his head his brother was not that far away, and if he let him die Inuyasha knew his father would kick Sesshomaru's ass.

" hmm did I fall asleep?" Kagome asked looking up at the sunrise, he snorted.

" yeah, but I don't mind, I was able to cover a lot of ground carrying you." he said and ste her feet down on the sand. She gasped and smiled.

" I know where we are. Inuyasha you made it a day ahead of time... how did you-?"

" I am a half demon." he shrugged and looked in the direction of the palace. They would arrive in moments if he ran, he was planning on it. Looking at Kagome he felt her anxiety but she tired to hid it, if he wasn't looking for the shifts in her scent and mood he wouldn't have detected it.

" are you the half demon Inuyasha?" a voice called out

" who wants to know?" he replied rising to the challenge. He sniffed and found his senses dulled. " sneaky human, using incense to dull my sense of smell, but I can still see better then you can human." he called guessing. Demons didn't resort to these kinds of tricks.

A robed man stepped out on to the beach. He was carrying a staff and made a gesture of prayer with his right hand. " I am Miroku, I have been commissioned by my lord to bring you to the Lord of the nearby palace.

" we are already going there," Inuyasha said turning and disregarding the man and grabbing Kagome. " and as an assassin you suck." he laughed over his shoulder.

Miroku watched Inuyasha walk away and thought carefully. That was not what he had expected of a demon who supposedly murdered twenty women in cold blood. And the lady Kagome did not seem distressed at all being with him. In good conscience he had to see for himself what his job had entailed. It was now obvious that Lord Hojo had lied to him and he wanted to know why. Turning into the forest he strolled to his mount and rode to the castle gates past the demon and princess. They looked after him with little interest and he did not bother to turn back. He had some questions he wanted answered. But before he could get past the first gate he was ambushed from above.

" assassin, I have watched you work. You are interesting. Do not go back to that shogun, or the lord that hired you. I am lord Sesshomaru of the demon kingdom and I am the 2nd general of the army." he said quietly. Miroku assessed his situation and balked when he heard the name and rank. This dog demon was the dreaded killer of army's. A man that could kill them all, by himself if he chose.

" What do you want with _me_?" Miroku tried to stay calm.

" I want you to go into the city and keep an eye on my brother and his mate while they are inside the palace. I will be on the outside watching from here. When you have information for me set a white flag outside of your window and I will go to you when you are alone." he explained. " you could also betray me, but I will know immediately, and if that happens I _will_ kill you. _You will not see_ _ **me**_ _but I always get my kill_."

" I understand. My life is now in your hands, lord Sesshomaru." he said understanding the predicament he was in. " I would just like to know one thing before I get started." he said unable to resist.

" hn."

" what is this all about?" he asked. It had been the question he was on his way to ask the shogun and the lord. Personally he had no affiliation for either of the men but the tale of a demon who killed the woman of the territory had stirred him.

" this is a battle of wills between my younger brother and the family of his mate, that is all." he said and disappeared from Miroku's side. He shivered and thanked the kami that it wasn't his intention to kill him. Looking forward he saw the doors to the palace and decided to wait. After all they would arrive shortly. Sitting back on his horse he blended in with the shadow of the mighty wall and watched.

Kagome was biting her nails. Riding on his back she toyed with his ears and tried to comfort herself. When they came to the first checkpoint she slid to the ground and addressed them. She recognized the outer guard kouga, he was a nice man who had gone out of his way to be kind to her in the past. He looked at her now with the same smile and called a carriage to carry them to the palace. She accepted and they waited.

Inuyasha almost refused to get in the carriage when it got here but he assented seeing how upset Kagome was getting. He got in across from her and it launched forward to the palace. Inuyasha watched the emotions flicker across her face. " Kagome how are you feeling?" he asked looking for signs of anxiety. He would destroy them all if he had to.

" I'm nervous, and I'm worried that my father and step mother will be terrible to you. I don't want you to see them at their worst, their best is bad enough but I know this will set father over the edge, they already sent an assassin after us.

" that guy was a joke... Miroku, was it? He is of little consequence." Inuyasha smirked lifting a shoulder. " Kagome we are going to leave if anything feels wrong, or I feel like you need to go. Don't worry about me this is about your happiness." he said and took her hand. Kagome leaned forward and kissed him gently, but it was short lived. Th carriage came to a stop and the door flung open. Inuyasha stepped out first and held his hand out for Kagome. Walking behind her he made sure that none of the guards who looked on disapprovingly were going to try anything. She went up the stairs and entered the palace. Immediately they were taken to the meeting hall. Kagome swallowed down her fear and went inside

" Kagome, what have you done you wretch!" a woman scorned her as she bowed her greeting to the man and woman at the other side of the room.

" enough" lord Renkutsu silenced her. " Kagome was it not the agreement that you wed Hojo? Why are you here when you should be getting married." he asked coldly. He looked to the demon and sneered. " I was informed of a demon, but you bring a half demon into my palace, are you looking to disgrace our household girl." he scoffed.

Kagome was scarlet with embarrassment. " father I do not want to marry Hojo." she started and was silenced.

" it does not matter what you want I said you were going to marry him. Do not make a liar out of me, you are already earning a harsh sentence as it is." he crossed his arms and Inuyasha stepped forward.

You are really something asshole." he growled.

" how dare a lowly abomination speak to me." he said offended.

" father, please don't." Kagome begged.

" don't Kagome, this needs to happen. Old man, we didn't come here to ask your permission, and I ain't a low birth demon. That king you've been fighting with over the last decade is my father, I am his 4th general. I will have your daughter, and you will never mistreat her ever again." he made his will absolute and took the noble couple down a couple of notches. Lord Renkutsu thought for a moment. The half demon was beginning to anger him, he had to find a way around him.

" prince of demons, I assure you not even you fathers influence is enough to sway my decision. Kagome tomorrow we will speak more on this subject, for now remain at the palace and we will work out an agreement." he said and swept past them. The lady of the palace looked on with hatred.

" you couldn't just go and get married like you were told, such a filthy disobedient child, you should be flogged, and to think that sweet lord came here for you." she spat the last word at her as though it were a dagger and walked away as well.

Kagome sagged and looked more tired then she did all along the journey. He grabbed her to him and helped to support her weight. " my room is on the third floor." she started and he scooped her up.

" I can find it, your scent is strongest there." he said and masterfully navigated the palace and opened the door to her chamber. He frowned. Her bedroom was sparsely furnished with a desk a bed and a wardrobe, there was nothing else there, no sign that some one lived there and yet her scent was all around him. She went to sit on her small bed and sank onto the mattress. He went to sit next to her

" this is your room?' he asked she nodded and went to the window. Looking out she smiled.

" there were so many days where I just looked out of this window and wondered what it was like to be with the villagers, or run through the forest. Sometimes I would thing about you and remember. I often wondered what you were doing. Its silly but I was afraid that id never get the chance to tell you how glad I was that we met." Kagome was gripping the edge of the window and Inuyasha felt on the edge of an explosion. He reigned in his anger and stood. Approaching her from behind he wrapped his arms around her middle and kissed her shoulder.

" its not silly, I thought about you all the time too, I wanted to come here and get you, thought about it every day. I wish I had now." he admitted and turned her to look at him. He moved her hair out of her face and kissed her forehead. Taking the side of her face in his hand he pressed his lips to hers and descended into a passionate embrace.

" I love you, Inuyasha." she whispered against his lips and stepped closer closing the distance between them.

" we are here now, go and see you father tonight, then we will leave here tomorrow, I will wait for you, if he even tries to harm you I will stop him no matter what." he promised. Kagome looked up at him and understood that he meant what he said she felt the anxiety but now it was tainted with the light of Inuyasha's promise. She hugged him tightly and suggested looking around the palace. He agreed and followed her through the hallways.

" this is what a human palace is like. Its a little more stuffy then I imagined." he said looking at the pictures and statues presented throughout the hall. " how do you play in a castle that might kill you if your not watching where your walking?" he laughed and moved her back from a set of armor with the sword drawn. He paused. Turning around he saw the monk from earlier following them.

" what is it?" Kagome asked he glanced at her and then back again and he was gone.

" nothing, I thought I saw something." he lied and encouraged her to continue the tour. He smelled the scent of his brother on that monk, he also had changed tactics and was tailing them instead of watching from a distance.

Kagome shrugged and walked to the library. "do you read often?" she asked he shook his head scoffing.

" I don't have time for scrolls, if you want to talk about reading ask Sesshomaru, though it might be a while before he is willing to hold a conversation with you." he chuckled thinking about his brother.

" okay I might do that when we get back," she smiled and he felt his heart start to race. She was so cute, even the thought of talking with that stuffy jerk wasn't enough to discourage her. " Inuyasha, do you still have that crest I gave you?" she asked suddenly.

" psh- yeah," he laughed and pulled it out of his houri,

" ahh it is beautiful, the crest of my families line and the legend of the canine protectors. Have you ever heard of the priestess Morderiko and the inu guardian?" Kagome asked. He shook his head and settled back on a pillow to listen to her story.

" my great great grandmother was about my age when she began the training to become a village shaman, she was skilled and powerful, more so then the woman who trained he and the teacher was jealous of my ancestors power.. so one day she cast her out into the wilderness, right next to a notorious inu tribe that had terrorized the shrine. When she was captured by the inu leader. She was surprised to find that the demons were not the monsters that the shrine leader had said. They had been protecting the women from the monsters that plagued the land and were being blamed for the murders.

" my ancestor vowed to stop the tensions between the two peoples but when she was released and went back to her shrine they laughed and scorned her for not dying out there. My great grandmother left the shrine that day and was taken in by the inu tribe as an ambassador between he priestesses and the tribe, most of her time was spent negotiating between then but one day when the negotiations were useless they went to war. She fought with the inu naturally but was killed by the woman who had trained her several years before. The elder of the inu tribe took her remains back to the village and buried her along side of the sacred garden. They erected a statue where she was buried and bestowed her daughter , my grandmother with this pendant. It is for the protection she gave them and the gratitude for her giving her life to create a lasting bond between the two peoples. The war ended and the demon leader was named the king. That was two hundred years ago. Since then the stories have been lost and humans have forgotten, even demons no longer remember the lady priestess after so many battles." she closed the scroll she was reading and looked up at him. He grasped the pendant and smiled.

" I know this story, my father told it a little differently but it is the same story. Your great great grandmother is a hero in our history. Kagome. Joining with her great great grand daughter is an honor I never expected to receive. With this knowledge any demon would willingly take you, Kagome. Why did you give this to me when we first met, how could you have known I wasn't going to steel it and leave you forever." he asked kind of unnerved.

" ha, like you were going to steel it from me. The dog on the pendant has the same ears as you! When I saw you all I could think of was the story of my grandmother. I had just heard it before going out to search for her garden. Inuyasha. I knew when we met that you were a valuable friend, and you were cute I wanted you to remember me." she smiled and closed her hand around his that held the pendant and moved his hand back to his houri. " I told my father I lost it. I want you to wear it openly now. I want them to know that from that moment I made my choice." she said breathlessly.

" Ha, mother told me that was supposed to be mine! Give it to me, it is the relic belonging to the heir to the families estate. Me" a Young boy about ten summers peaked from around the shelve and made a face at them. Kagome frowned.

" Souta, it is mine rightfully, if you try to take it I will stop you." she warned and he balked.

" then you will be flogged! Your such a stupid woman, no wonder father hates you!" he stomped.

Inuyasha walked over to the child and punched him in the mouth. " never speak to Kagome that way." he growled and the bow gripped his nose. And ran away. " so that's the brother?" he asked and she nodded.

" I wish he were a little more cordial but his mother has trained him to be this way." she shook her head.

It was an hour before dinner and Kagome was pacing around her room as Inuyasha watched from the bed. He had stayed in the room though several guards had come for him. He had beaten them back and warned them about interrupting them again, the lord had even ordered him out but he had resisted leaving when he came I and entering again through the window.

She was dressed in a fine gown and her hair was braided beautifully making her long tresses into an intricate work of art. He did not dare touch it for fear of her wrath.

Kagome sighed when she was summoned and walked slowly to the dinning hall. Her father sat at the head of the table with her step mother to his left. Hojo sat at his right and Souta to his mothers left, he was glaring daggers at his sister and holding his nose still. Inuyasha went to sit at the opposite end of the table from her father and pulled about a chair so she sat at his right. Hojo's eyes glittered with hatred and Kagome stood and bowed her greeting receiving nothing but hard stares from her family.

Inuyasha was almost at the point of explosion again but held his temper.

" father why is Hojo here?" Kagome asked.

" to receive his bride, Kagome. What did you think he was here for?" her father scolded condescendingly. "Now that we are all here I would like to address this misunderstanding." he said motioning to Hojo. " this man has presented a treaty where we have access to his trade routs in exchange for your hand, is that true." he asked

" yes, father." she answered meekly. Inuyasha growled.

" restrain your dog!" her step mother snapped. Inuyasha growled again clenching his fist.

" step mother, I apologize for his abruptness, father I have made my decision, I am going to be with Inuyasha." she said and watched the anger lite through her fathers steely blue eyes.

" ridiculous! You cannot decide, _you are a woman_ , born to take your place where ever honor demands. You agreed to this arrangement correct?" he shouted.

" yes, father. But only after you imprisoned me for a week without food or drink. Father I will not agree to your demand. Hojo is a murderer and a deviant. to send me to him is sealing my fate. _I will die there_." she stood and accused Hojo formally. She knew that the rules of court would demand an investigation after tat accusation but her father waved away his hand.

" it is not my business what happens to you, you are meant to fulfill my agreement, then I will release you to your husband to do with as he wishes. It is the order of things." he raged. Inuyasha stood up then.

" how dare you call yourself her father, or you her step mother. She is worth more then all of you pieces of shit. I was going to sit by and allow her to talk with her family, but I see that you truly don't care about any one but yourselves. Kagome and I are leaving in the morning, I dare you to stop us." he said and took Kagome's hand and lead her from the hall with her family staring after them shocked. Outside the door he found the monk stooped listening at the door. He backed away embarrassed but Inuyasha swept past uncaring. Kagome took a look at him and nodded, she realized that he wasn't against them when he announced his presence earlier, an assassin would have just killed them. She tried not to think too hard about the obstetrical ahead of them, she had just struck a huge blow to her fathers ego, and as long as Inuyasha was with her he would not touch her again. She sighed and clung to her lifeline.

" lets never come back here, I don't want to see any of them again." she begged when they got to her room. She went to the window and opened it. Wanting to jump out and run far away.

" give me an hour and we will go and never return. I promise." he said quietly.

Out side the door Souta crouched. He was bitter about the punch to the nose and he wanted revenge. In his hands he held his fathers knife clutched in his hands and waiting for his chance.

Miroku watched the child with amusement. " you are in far over your head kid, he said startling the boy and he made a show of slashing with his knife. Miroku merely stepped aside and let the boy fall forward. " see you cant even wield a simple dagger how are you going to slay the prince of the demon king."

" in don't know but he will pay for how he treated me. I am the heir to this palace and all in it are under me" he said angrily. Miroku sighed.

" why don't you just let your sister go, doesn't she deserve to be happy?" he asked looking at the closed door. He heard muffled voices, and his curiosity peaked. He wanted to hear... whatever was going on in there. Just curious.

" I don't care about her happiness, what does it matter to me?" he crossed his arms and watched the monk inch toward the door. He stepped in front of him. The monk expired and looked at the kid with determination.

" lord Souta, you are not looking at the bigger picture here. Your sister is marrying the prince of demons. That alliance is worth considering, but even more importantly is the relationship you could still salvage with your sister. You are a child, it is not too late to change the way you treat her or to be her brother instead of her enemy. Your parents have already made their choice, you dont have to make the same one." he urged. The kid listened and shook his head.

" you don't know anything." he said

" I know enough about people that if you continue as you are no one will want to be around you. You are quite unpleasant and your self entitled tantrums make you a nuisance to say the least." he laughed and pushed past the kid to crouch at the door. He smiled to himself and settled in. behind him the kid accosted him with words and tried to take a few shots but he pushed him back and he ended up sitting there watching him looking unamused but resigned to wait as well.

Kagome's face had turned scarlet when he explained to her how he wanted to spend that hour he requested. She shook her head and he had been relentless. " we wont have a chance like this again for a while."

" I understand that but does it have to be here, I don't have very many good memories here." she laughed out of nervousness.

" that's why its perfect." he motioned for her to come closer. She pursed her lips and considered what he was saying carefully. " and we are leaving afterward?" she asked he grinned and nodded trying to look as innocent as he could. Inwardly he was excited, already fighting the instincts that had enacted when she was near again. He had chosen her form the beginning and now that he had asserted his claim on her he would have her.

Kagome looked at the door, any moment some one could reach out and open the door, she had no control of her own privacy with and outward locking door, though thinking about Inuyasha's reaction at being interrupted might out weight the wrath of ten men like her father. Smiling coyly she stepped forward and rose on her toes to kiss him, he grinned triumphantly and descended picking her up and carrying her to the mattress. She was lain back and surrounded by his aura, his energy spiking and causing her heart to accelerate she could feel his strength touching his arms and shoulders gasped as he explored her body slowly removing each item of clothing until she was bared beneath him.

" you are incredible, so beautiful." he said his breath catching at how she was making him feel. Touching her skin, just feeling her body below his he was at the point of explosion. Kagome removed his houri and began to untie his hakima when he lost patience and ripped away any remaining cloth separating them. " I'm sorry Kagome, I'm being impatient. I have been wanting, you, waiting fro this moment." he tired to explain himself as his hands ran down her stomach and drew lines to her thighs. Leaning to her chest he licked the tip of her nipple and captured it in his mouth pulling and suckling hungrily. She gasped and opened her thighs waiting for him to ease the ache that was rapidly becoming a fire. Feeling her shift his hand dove down to her center and he felt the softness of her lips, squeezing her gently and rubbing the bud there.

Kagome bit her lip and moved her hips up to move against him. Inuyasha could no longer resist the desire to taste her, he pulled her thighs up over his shoulders and lapped t her soaking pussy. Kagome grabbed the pillow beneath her head and moaned into it as he continued his assault. Reaching to his heavy erection he grasped it readying himself and feeling the overwhelming need to posses her, he knew he was rapidly digressing into an animal and he tried to slow down and utilize the full amount of time he had requested of her. Trying to reign in his desire he sank to the mattress and took deep breaths kissing her softly and trying to count seconds between them. Kagome moved against him wanting to loose herself in the feel of his mouth on her. She gripped his ears and massaged them earning a satisfied growl and he drew back on his heels to pull her hips to his. His heavy erection lobed onto her low stomach and he drew back and guided it to her entrance. Kagome wrinkled her brows and sucked in a hard breath when he pressed against her hymen. He held his breath waiting for her to relax and allow him entrance into her body.

" Kagome, breath it will last for only a second." he held her to him caressing her hair and kissing her forehead trying to sooth her fears. Kagome nodded and tried to breath. It hurt to have him inside of her, he was big stretching her uncomfortably and she wanted the pain to stop. Taking a breath she worked on relaxing and cringed when he buried himself in, as he had said the moment after he broke through she took in a breath and was surprised at the warmth and pleasure that pulsed through her in waves.

" good, I'm going to start now. Tell me if it hurts too bad." he said raggedly and pulled back to buriy himself in once more.

Finally able to move he was lost in the sensation of being wrapped in her embrace feeling the waves of pleasure and carnal need that raged in him like an inferno. Inuyasha gripped her, maybe too hard, and pulled her into his powerful body looking for deeper penetration. She clung to him, being swept away in the chaos of his need for her. She could not break her eyes away from his. He was watching her through half lidded eyes, passion and pleasure written perfectly on his features. Shifting her took hold of her thighs and wrapped them around his middle and sat back pulling her up with him. Bouncing her on his lap he hissed at the increased friction and made use of the access to her breasts in this position. Taking hold of her with one arm he helped her to ride him while he massaged her breast with the other hand. She closed her eyes when he took hold of her mouth and moved his tongue into her mouth. Kagome had her arms around his neck holding on to him. The pressure in her belly was rapidly becoming too much for her to handle and snaking her hand between them she rubbed her sensitive spot.

A chain reaction of sensations pulsed through her and she moaned aloud and came. She felt her muscles spasm and he gripped her tightly and laid her back onto the bed with increased speed, he was close he could feel the familiar pressure the excitement and then he was helpless moving into her like an animal blinded in his need to cum when he felt his breath catch and he exploded sending streams of cum into her. Kagome locked her lags around him and refused to let him up he laughed at her and settled in her embrace content.

" maybe I should have asked for two hours." he breathed. He took hold of her mouth and felt her press into him.

" I don't care if we stay the whole night" she smiled and heard something outside the door. " whats that?" she asked and he shook his head.

" nothing." he lied again. He knew that the child and monk were outside the door listening. He just did not care. If they wanted to eves drop it was their business, but so help him if either moved to interrupt now he would kill them without a thought. He looked at the door and then put it out of his mind.

What is happening in there, don't you dare cover my ears. I am the heir to this palace so you are in my house. I demand that you put me sown this instant." Souta struggled against Miroku who had his ear glued to the chamber door. He was grinning and his face was scarlet. To Souta there was some great secret being spilled and he wanted to know what it was. He had begun to hear a small thumping when the monk had grabbed him and covered his ears. Not in his palace. Souta freed himself and put his own ear to the door. Nothing but more of the thumping and some muffled voice sounds. He shook his head.

" this is something only an adult should hear." Miroku shushed him and went back to snooping. The boy sighed.

" miroku. You are late." a deep voice said from behind him. Miroku whirled around and looked up at sesshoamru.

" ah yes my lord you are here I was told to meat you outside... I was just following up on something I thought of earlier." he tried and the stoic lord stared flatly at him.

" I can sense the consummation of his mating, this is a private moment for us. Be gone." eh said and made the tow leave with his stare alone. When the two left he sank into the shadows and felt the presence of two more. This time he felt the malevolent intent and watched curiously. The two assassins were good, for humans. But standing outside of the princesses door there were three monsters and two were about to meet an unmovable wall of power. Smirking he watched them open the door and he heard the angry voice of his brother. The scuffle was short lived when he heard his brother curse and jump from the window. The two assasins looked after them and he smiled as he walked into the room after them. They called to the guards on the ground and troops rallied. Sesshaomru flexed his claws an caught the two by the throat when they turned around. Choking they were unable to scream. He smiled.


	5. Chapter 5

Within the walls of the princesses chamber Sesshomaru stood holding two men by the throat. He growled at them and, visibly they began to tremble. He only took a moment to crush their throats and then threw them down. "Miroku" he said and heard the shuffle of feet. He knew Miroku could not resist snooping and so he was. Miroku came through the door and shook his head.

" lord Sesshomaru I thought that Inuyasha was going to kill them for sure. Why did you step in?" he asked shaking his head at the broken guards.

" for the first twenty four hours after a mating the power is shared between them. My brothers power is moderate normally being a half demon, but joined with a human he is half his normal strength." he explained. " in this case it was smarter to escape with his mate and return to fighting tomorrow." Sesshomaru said. He walked to the window once more and looked up at the rapidly disappearing moon. Tomorrow was the night of the full moon.

Miroku worked to discard the bodies with Sesshomaru. He briefly wondered what had become of the boy but he didn't dwell on it long.

Inuyasha carried Kagome out of the palace and through the checkpoints as quickly as he could. His arms felt heavy and he was slower then normal. His breathing was even heavier then normal. He blamed it on the pleasure that still warmed his cheeks. Gripping her close to his chest he thought about the feelings she stirred in him and smiled.

They stopped once they were in the forest and he set Kagome down on a fallen log. She was smiling excited about never going back there. She had pulled n her kimono and hurriedly tied it while Inuyasha wrestled with the guards he had managed to bundle his shirt up and throw it into her arms when he scooped her up and jumped through the window in his hakima. Now though he reached for the white material and shrugged into it tying it and then the red one tucking it in and tying off the last fasteners. He took a seat next to her and laughed.

" what are you laughing at?" Kagome asked smiling, just as happy.

" I cant believe it was that easy. You are mine, at last. Now we can go home and prepare for our future together," he took her by the face and kissed her soundly.

Kagome giggled when he released her, he was acting silly. Inuyasha was more excited then then he had been about anything since he was a pup. The days spent with Kagome were the funnest he had as a child and now adults they were mated formally according to his customs. He could feel his power surrounding her, them, intermingling between them as a sign of their union. He guessed that was why he felt so weak now, but making good time had been in his plans and looking back no one would catch them.

He drew Kagome to his chest and held her to him.

In the darkness of the near moonless night a boy walked through the trees. It was the second time in his life he had been away from his fathers guardsmen. He clutched a dagger and raised it ready to attack anything that jumped out at him. Ahead he heard the sound of voices and recognized one of them as his own half sister. Approaching quietly he walked around the corner.

His sister was being held by a demon male and he was ravishing the side of her face and neck kissing her like he had seen guards do to their wives and lovers. He blanched and shook away his embarrassment. Clearing his throat the demon didn't even look up.

" demon, unhand my sister! She is coming back to the palace and will yield to our fathers wishes. Also I will have my pendant back, it is mine rightfully." he stood with the dagger drawn and pointed at them. Inuyasha ears perked when he saw the dagger and he sighed and stood out of Kagome's embrace. Kagome saw her brother and balked. She almost got up herself but he stopped her.

" little man you are no match for me. Leave now before I hurt you." Inuyasha said not waiting for the kid to strike. He stepped in and disarmed him, the boy yelled and drew another dagger out and stabbed Inuyasha in the side. Sinking the blade into his flesh he heard the hiss of pain but he did not fall like he had expected. Kagome ran over and slapped him.

" why don't you just go home. I do not want to be a pawn for fathers politics anymore. Your mother has warped you into thinking that you are entitled to be treated as a lord. But I assure you, a lord does not act as though his family and people were tools to gain power. He protects those he loves, which should be his people and his family. Father is not like that." Kagome grabbed a hold of Inuyasha and helped him to sit. He was breathing heavily and she was beginning to be worried.

" but-" Souta tried. Somehow the situation had changed and he was the bad guy now. He dropped his dagger and wanted to fight for himself against his sisters accusations.

" kid, make a choice. You can either become a tyrant like your father or choose to be different." Inuyasha said and coughed blood. " that was a lucky shot. Sneaky having two daggers." he grumbled. The blood was pooling and Kagome was beginning to be panicked.

" Inuyasha, I am having a hard time stopping the bleeding, why aren't you healing." she asked pleadingly.

" it is because a mating is a sharing of your power woman, as I told you before." a deep male voice sounded from behind them. Souta drew his blade again and the demon disappeared and reappeared standing beside him with his daggers in his hand examining them. " it is a normal blade so he should live."

" should?" Kagome asked scared.

" thanks to the timing of this boys dagger Inuyasha is at half power from mating, and is about to transform under the darkness of the new moon.

" Sesshomaru don't be an asshole, and scare Kagome like that you could help her to stop the bleeding." Inuyasha suggested. He was feeling weak and the boy was poised to fight more which was to Inuyasha's displeasure. He knew it was bad if his brother was there speaking to them. Trying to sit up made the bleeding start again and he laid back down not ready to die yet.

" I will not let you die, brother. But it will take time to find the things you need to survive. Miroku, come" he said loud enough for the assassin to come out of hiding. He walked over to the boy and grabbed him up.

" get your hands off me, I told you before that-"

" enough Souta, you will accompany the monk into the forest to find something to stop the bleeding. Miroku are you knowledgeable in this matter?" he asked and Miroku snorted and then apologized to glasshouse.

" yes my lord I will return shortly." he said and he and Souta went into the forest to collect the crucial herbs.

Kagome stayed next to Inuyasha maintaining pressure on his wound and staring up at Sesshomaru with weariness. He was not even looking at Inuyasha though she knew he cared enough to be there as his brother was dying. In the distance they heard the sound of troops moving and the voice of a commander echoing through the forest around them. " oh no, my fathers army is moving." she gasped and looked down at Inuyasha. " we almost made it, I am so sorry I got you hurt like this." she began to cry. Inuyasha was low in energy but he raised his hand to soothe her.

" Kagome, if you wish to save Inuyasha's life you will stay with him. Combine the herbs into a poluce and spread it over the wound. After the blood stops you must move. I will take care of the army." he said and swept into the night. She stared after him and was in awe. She wondered if he was the demon general known for army slaying, chuckling and recalling his temper from her childhood she wasn't that surprised.

" see that, lord fluffy pants is going to save the day. I told you he was real." Inuyasha said before fading into unconsciousness Kagome held her tears back though they longed to spill over. She reached for his clawed hand and waited with him while in the distance she could hear the sounds of hundreds of people moving. She had no illusions, this was because of her, of their decision to be together rather then live the way others wanted them to. She cursed fate from the beginning, and wished she could have kept her mother, that her father hadn't gone insane after wards, that her step mother wasn't such a monster, and that the man she was supposed to marry was the same man she was holding on to with every ounce of her being. It had all gone sideways and they were forced to break away from her whole family in order to find happiness. She heard her brother in the distance and yet again cursed not getting away soon enough to escape the last snare.

Kagome watched with guarded eyes as the two came back out of the deeper forest and the elder began the process of extracting the healing elements as Sesshomaru had instructed. Miroku looked at Kagome with pity. " I'm sorry this has happened miss. I believe he will pull through though the wound is deep."

Kagome flinched when he mentioned the wound and he apologized. The boy was silent watching with something close to guilt. He hadn't thought what stabbing someone would feel like. It was just something people talked about when they were angry. Seeing the worry clear on everyone's face and the man laying there on the ground he was beginning to feel sick. When he looked at his sister she didn't glare at him lie he expected. She was sad, looking from him to the man on the edge of crying but never shedding a tear. He felt shame then and went to her side.

" sister. I am sorry." he said kneeling on the ground and bowing low. He felt a gut wrenching sickness and realized that he had never been kind to her, though she had always tried, she had always loved him and put up with him hoping he would change and he had laughed at her. Now though he felt shame.

" Souta." she said surprised, she reached out and touched his hair and patted him lovingly. " you are my brother, I will forgive you, but please never do that again." she said and beckoned him up. He was crying, big tears welled down his face and chin.

" I'm sorry. I'm sorry ill never hurt you again." he was sobbing hugging her neck and trying to redo ten years of abuse. Kagome felt her heart leap, she had never expected him to turn like this, she had hoped but the influence of her parents had always out weighed any kindness she had shown him, at least thatch what she had thought. She embraced him and he crawled into her lap burring his face in her chest. She held him tightly savoring the feel of family, reaching to Inuyasha once more she grabbed his hand.

" Kagome," he mumbled in his sleep she frowned. The blood was barely slowing and it had already been so long. Miroku worked. He smiled when the boy had apologized and made a note to drop in and see the boy after that to remind him of his new found humanity. When he was done he was left with a thick paste made of the leaves and roots of a special plant. He withdrew his flask and with Kagome's help they undressed his torso and washed the blood from the wound. Souta began apologizing again and Kagome had to quiet him again. They treated his wound and were amazed to see the wound coagulate and the bleeding stop. Kagome sighed.

Sesshomaru grinned as he walked through lines of soldiers, none of them could touch him, he was unstoppable invincible and looking for the man that had ordered all of this to start. He found the lord inside of his palace and reading scrolls in his library. When Sesshomaru opened the door he did not look up, thinking it was a servant. But Sesshomaru walked over to his desk and grabbed him up by the throat. He snorted at how easy it all was.

" lord Renkutsu, you are a nuisance, this one demands you cease this attack at once or I will kill everyone inside of this keep and wage war on your descendants long after your bones have been warn away by time. I assure you I will live that long." he said clearly. He was not going to play with this insane human male, he knew the type, his ego was hurting because of his stray daughter, and he wants to make her pay fro disobeying him. But, he was not the first of his kind and if he was allowed to proceed it would leave war open for any disrespect and the humans would go instinct, he told himself as he gleefully held up this shogun.

" my daughter, my lands." he gurgled struggling and reaching for his dagger, it was gone. He cursed. Sesshomaru smiled and set his feet back on the ground.

" you see, I am the son of the demon king and the rightful heir of all of the land that demons inhabit, you are virtually living on my land now, so imagine if your daughter were to 'marry' my younger brother. I swear you humans are so dense, cant you look past your own ego to see the bigger picture." He said shaking his head. He had nothing to say but the anger in his eyes spoke volumes.

" how dare you stuck up demon tell me how to raise my daughter. I made a deal and I always keep my word. Hojo gets my daughter, he has the best trade routs in the nation, you cannot fail my logic. My lands increase when she gives him an heir and I get rid of her. Its easy enough to look the other way, its not like you have any interest, you are the heir but its your brother that wants her, what is a half demon to you. I've heard of you, killer of armies. You despise half demons, so why are you here."

" I have an interest, I do know your daughter and, your right my brother is the one that loves her, but... she keeps him out of my hair and that is worth more then fifty kings and their lands." he yelled and punched the desk to the ground. " call off your men!" he said meaning it, he was done talking with this beast, as he spoke the army moved closer to the place where Inuyasha lay injured. Looking out at the fading darkness he saw the suns early rays.

Today was the eve of the new moon.

Inuyasha stirred not long after the wound was tended. He woke and was startled by the sight of Kagome dozing with her brother clinging tightly to her and his hand being held by both of them, he sat up and peered at them curiously, when they slept he could see the similarities between them and thought about how his own child would look next to his mother. He blushed deeply thinking about how much fun they would have creating that child. He was smiling crookedly to himself when the monk got his attention.

" I am glad you are okay Inuyasha, though I suspect I wont be the most happy, that woman is a good one, you should take good care of her. During this ordeal she never panicked or shed a tear, she even managed to sway the child into repentance, she is amazing. Wish I would have found her first." he blushed and peered at her concideringly. Inuyasha growled.

" Inuyasha?" Kagome came awake and gasped to see him awake and sitting up. " I'm so glad." she gently removed Souta who stirred and woke, then she crawled to where he was and hugged his neck crying. Souta watched with guilt as the demon male soothed her and they exchanged a few loving words and a kiss that he looked away for. Miroku watched shamelessly.

Inuyasha looked at the kid and saw him crying, Kagome glanced back and then beckoned him to them. " Souta..."

" I'm sorry Inuyasha! I wont stab you again. Just don't die." he cried and earned a chuckle from Inuyasha.

"kid-... we have bigger things to worry about. Kagome grab the kid and get back into the forest, I hear soldiers marching." Inuyasha stiffly stood from his sitting position on the ground and clamped his hand to the wound on his side.

" what are you doing?" Souta demanded, he watched with horror as the half demon again prepared for battle.

" kid let me tell you about being a man, some time you have to risk everything and fight for what you love, now go with your sister and stay back from the fighting." he smiled a cocky sort of grin and withdrew his sword. Kagome hadn't seen him draw his weapon during the entire journey, seeing his transformed weapon made her take a second to wonder how truly powerful that this half demon was.

In a flash Sesshomaru walked through the clearing and shook his head. " the lord has not called back his troops, even with persuading. It seems you will have to fight, brother. What will you do in your weakened state?" he asked as though he were mocking his brother.

" I'm going to fight dumb ass." he barked and saw the first of the foot soldiers marching toward them. They marched four men across on this narrow path. The front men were armed with both swords and shields with armor covering them. Inuyasha laughed. " this will be easy."

Miroku knew joining the battle would cut him off from being allowed back into the keep so he slayed any one who saw him with alarming accuracy. Inuyasha slashed through ten man at a time, driving the forces back and being rewarded with the sounds of retreat. A man on a horse rode through the men and Inuyasha locked eyes with Hojo.

" you're not going to get away alive half breed" he called and charged Inuyasha.

from the trees Souta was being held back by Kagome. He wanted to go help him but Kagome held him still and begged him to be quiet. " Inuyasha will fight, Souta there is nothing we can do to help him right now, except to stay out of the way." she stilled him dropping to her knees and wrapping her arms around his waist to keep him there. Souta gave up struggling and was resigned to watch.

Inuyasha struck downward with his blade and a flash jumped forward and the land in front of it disintegrated into dust. The shields men were easy, the spear wielders couldn't touch them and he danced out of the way of swords striking as they got closer with Hojo in their center ranks. Leaping into the middle of them he took out thirty men in a circle and broke their ranks. He spotted Hojo and ran and drop-kicked him off of his horse, he landed with a huff and scrambled for his weapon. The horse reared and galloped back toward the keep. It wasn't a war horse and it ran terrified at the noise of battle. This detraction broke through the ranks and some began to turn back thinking that the lord had been slain. Inuyasha struck him with his foot and stepped into a striking stance and raised his blade.

" windscar" he yelled and five lines of light burst forward and the land broke apart and men fell into the cracks. Hojo was screaming clinging to the side of a cliff. The battle was stopped, for now. Inuyasha sheathed his weapon and turned to where Kagome and Souta were. he found Miroku. " you were a lot of help.' assassin'" he said sarcastically.

" I had to conceal myself to be able to get back into the keep. Some one has to bring the boy back." he said offended. Inuyasha rolled his eyes.

" I'm going back?" Souta asked. He looked up at Inuyasha with admiration. " but I wanted to stay and go with you and Inuyasha." he said hugging her. Kagome smiled but it was a sad smile.

" Souta, you are almost a man, and your being groomed to become the next lord here, you have a chance to change the way things are done, how people are treated. Souta this is your home. When you are ready come to us and you will be welcomed." she kissed him and he nodded though tears flowed down his cheeks.

" okay kid, lets go before the next wave hits." Miroku scooped him up and disappeared.

Inuyasha turned and they made haste towards the old road into the mainland. As before they traveled alongside the road and not on it in case of more travelers but after what seemed like an hour they slowed and stopped. Inuyasha sat against a tree and beckoned her to him.

Kagome sat beside him and laid her head on his shoulder. Inuyasha was breathing heavily and he reached his hand to the place where he'd been stabbed. It was nearly morning, she could see the suns rays peeking through the forest and knew that they had to get away before the sun reached high noon. Looking at Inuyasha she could tell that he was putting on a brave face for her. Kagome kissed his forehead. And laid her head back against the tree. " maybe we should rest her while you recuperate." she mentioned with a muffled yawn.

" sleep Kagome, you deserve that much, we still have a journey ahead of us. Once we pass the open valley through Sensuke land we are in our own territory, there we will have reinforcements within moments." he said fading, she watched as he slowly fell asleep beside her ad she settled in to get comfortable. Closing her eyes when he stopped talking she felt the full breath and exhale that signified sleep and cuddled in.

when Inuyasha woke again it was because of a scent that entered the forest, looking up and judging by the sun they had slept for two hours. He looked around and looked for the glimpse of white. Out of thin air Sesshomaru touched ground and stood before them. Inuyasha was being held down by Kagome's sleeping form. She was half on top of him with her leg thrown over his and her head on his shoulder. He nodded towards his brother and Sesshomaru looked at the girl for more then a few seconds and then addressed his brother.

" it seems as though the troops have been called back. But the human and his servant are raising tensions, there may still be a fight ahead of you brother." Sesshomaru said. He had been curious as to why they had stopped so close to the enemies lair. He was almost expecting to see his brother still bleeding out from the wound in his weakened state. Instead he seemed to be healing at only 1/3 less power then he normally possessed. Looking at the woman he was curious to what she had been mixed with. Was it demon or spirit. Whichever it was it was only a small amount of energy but it was enough.

Inuyasha noticed his brothers interest in Kagome. He wasn't usually one to stare and he wondered if her kimono was gaping at her breast. He raised his brow " what are you looking at." he asked after a second.

" it seems your human has power after all. Or haven't you noticed that your wound is healing almost as if you were still at full power... What did you think? That I was considering your woman for my own bed." he smirked at Inuyasha's enraged growl. Sesshomaru knew that during the first day of a mating the males are extremely possessive even to the point of insanity. Inuyasha was only half demon but he showed enough demon traits and this one was no exception. An oh he was getting angry. " she does have power. If I sever the bond now I could just allow you to die here and tell father the human lord dispatched you."

" break the bond? How would you" Inuyasha was getting nervous. He felt the inner demon rage in him and he fought to keep from standing up and ripping his brothers head off. He was only joking... right?

" It is simple to break the bond. You just need to take the female from her mate and breed her yourself. During the first few hours after a first mating they are extremely fertile" he said matter of factually and smiled when he saw Inuyasha's face drain of color and he began to look on the edge of homicide.

" so help me Sesshomaru if you even move to touch her I will-" Inuyasha had no sense of humor in this matter.

" only joking brother." he said chuckling. Inuyasha was breathing hard ready to fight him and then deflated realizing that he truly was kidding.

Inuyasha face palmed and sighed knowing that he'd been had. " your sick. Why are you helping us any way. I remember you used to give me hell for just wanting to see her. Why now?" Inuyasha asked now serious.

" she keeps you busy. And away from me. I do not care one way or the other for her, only that she is yours." he answered and disappeared into the twilight morning. Inuyasha chuckled and rolled his eyes at his brothers dramatics.

Kagome slept through all of that, she stirred when she felt him laugh and shifted looking for more warmth. Her hand fell from her side to the ground beside her and she started awake. " hu, oh we should get going, its already morning time." she yawned cutely and stretched. She sat up and looked at him assessing his well being.

" I'm okay Kagome. Lets go." he said getting up. He took a knee and stood stretching his legs and helping her to stand. Journeying inland was easier then going towards the ocean. The trees grew larger and the foliage more dense. Inuyasha insisted on covering as much ground as they could even convincing her to let him carry her through some of it. " why wont you just let me run, you know I can make it in half the time , you're light and it wont reopen my wound," he argued for the fourth time. Kagome swallowed down her irritation.

" I told you, it makes me sick to travel that fast." she grouched. She was tired of his nagging. Kagome saw that he wanted to get away from her fathers lands but he was being overly insistent on getting home at top speed.

" you will get used to it, we could be home in a bed tonight." he reasoned. He was getting nervous. They were an hour ahead of the lord and his horse if they stopped or rested they would be found. Looking up he figured the time to be mid morning, it was the perfect time to put some distance between them. Looking at Kagome though she didn't look any more agreeable then before.

" your thinking about sex." she said outraged. " we can do it right here if your that worried about it. Last time you threw me over your shoulder I had a bruise on my hip that was sore for an hour after." he rubbed the place where her hip had ached.

" Is that all- your hip hurt?" he was being belligerent he knew and it only riled her up more.

She crossed her arms and leveled with him. " you don't have to be a jerk about it. I don't know why your in such a hurry. Are you afraid of facing Hojo after the beating you gave him before?" she asked. He growled.

" I'm not afraid." he said defensively

" I didn't think you were so tell me why your in such a hurry." she replied. Her eyes were drilling holes in him and he was beginning to sweat.

" I uh. Change into my human form on the night of the full moon. I am not afraid... I have never shone my weakness to any one, I do not want him to be the first." Inuyasha bared his soul feeling vulnerable for some reason now. He hadn't thought of her reaction to him becoming a human, he had dreampt of being with her for so long that he hadn't even considered that she might prefer him as he was and not as a human. She was appraising him, imagining him as a human he just knew it and he blushed.

" you may carry me." she said and he felt his stomach drop. She was acting a little aloof, he hoped that she wasn't repulsed by his admission.

" uh change your mind?" he asked a little nervously. He knelt in front of her and motioned for her to get on his back. She grabbed on and held him with her thighs, tightly.

" yes, I want to be the first one." she said indigently. She wanted the trip to be over already and could feel the waves of nausea already.

" first one? Kagome I've never had another woman, I swear." he said offended.

" I want to be there first one to see you change jack ass! Now lets go and don't be mad at me when I vomit." she said and buried her face in his back. He laughed aloud and took hold of her thighs and burst forward running as fast as he could. He wasn't at full power by half in his demonic abilities, his healing and constitution were at full strength. Inuyasha widened the gap between them and Hojo by 6 hours, it was not much time but it was enough that he would be nearly through with his human night before he found them, and then at least it would be on his own lands.

Inuyasha was able to press on through to the central territory and nearly to the door of his fathers palace. The sun began to set as they passed through the village outside of Kagome's family manor. They had decided to stay there that night and move on through to the demon kings palace in the morning.

It was gone over the trees and the last rays were touching the top of the building as they opened there front door of her child hood home. Inuyasha felt his senses dulled, he could almost smell the familiar scents of Kagome in her youth, her room, her habitual resting places. Where she sat at the table, her father and mother. But it all faded fast. At once he felt blind to his true self, awakened to fears and doubts that normally never touched him.

He felt around in the dark, it was overwhelming disorienting and he could not find which way was up. Out of nowhere Kagome grabbed his hand and he stilled. His heart was pounding and he couldn't hear what she was saying. " what, I didn't hear you." he said and felt his way to her and gripped her arms in his hands.


	6. Chapter 6

It was dark, more then a normal night with the moon hidden away from the sky. Inuyasha felt Kagome's hand on his arm but couldn't see her. He knew she had spoken to him but he couldn't hear her. Gripping her hand in his he ran his hand up her arm and gripped her gently but brought her to him so that he could feel her presence. " what did you say I couldn't hear you, Kagome." he said nervously.

" I said ' there is a sitting room down the hall and there are lanterns there packed away for just in case we got to come home after the war was over, " she said and lead him through the darkness.

Inuyasha followed wishing he could see and hear properly. He felt deaf and blind as he was and he hoped that Kagome truly did accept him this was, after all she was human too. One thought stopped him and he considered her dark silhouette, would she prefer him this way instead of as a half demon.

They walked through a door and Kagome let go of his hand, he stilled. He heard her rustle around a few things and then an amused gasp. " what is it?" he asked

" found it!" she said laughing. When she finally got it lit the room shown as though it were daylight and Inuyasha squinted through the rapid adjustment. Kagome was looking at him. " wow, you really are human. You even have brown eyes." she went to him and felt his hair and smiled at how silky it was, then reached up and felt his ears, they were human and they worked. He pulled away when she wiggled them and tried to see if they came off.

" Kagome everything is semi permanent, now stop pinching me!" he grouched and she smiled devilishly.

" your interesting..." she said moving back. " and very hansom, how fortunate of me to have not only a out worldly half demon, but also a human that could be a prince. " she smiled and beckoned him with her eyes.

Being human was disorienting, he was plagued with doubt and distraction, he didn't feel like himself, he was weak. But one emotion run out clearer and stronger then any thing he had felt being a demon. Kagome. She was beautiful smiling so sweetly and wanting him to act on the fire that was kindled between them. He wanted to reach out and pull her to him, but nerves wracked him and he felt frozen in place by her steal blue stare. He swallowed. " you think so?"

Kagome saw the desire in his eyes, it was different though, tainted with fear and doubt, and she wondered if he still wanted her as a human. His normal self wanted her constantly lavished her with kissed and affection often and she wondered if he was too nervous to touch her. " Inuyasha, do want to sit with me, I believe we have some sake in the dining area still."

" yes, " he answered hastily an took a relieved breath for the delay when she walked out of the room. He was working up the courage inside of him to take her hand and lead her to the bedroom, repulsed by his own behavior, he was a man that went after what he wanted, and she was his mate, they had already copulated, so why was he so nervous.

Kagome returned with a tray, sake and two cups. Setting it down she knelt and poured him some sake elegantly beckoning him to her side. He sat and took the offered cup and downed it and gave it back for her to fill. She did. He took a slower sip and set it on the table.

Kagome took from hers and sipped. " this is a fine year," she said and took another sip.

" its good," he said agreeing.

" Inuyasha, do you feel different as a human?" she asked. She had wondered when she had heard him pacing.

" I feel deaf and blind." he admitted. He was starting to feel warmed from the alcohol and was relaxing a bit from the stressful transformation he took an audible breath and saw Kagome take another drink, her cheeks were stained pink and he thought he missed something.

" I'm sure you do, is there anything I can do to make you more comfortable?" she asked and put her cup aside. He thought for a moment and shrugged. He looked down into his cup seeing the clear contents and then back to Kagome, she was beside him. His heart rate accelerated just by her nearness and he felt nervousness, awkward in his human form. He felt her hand trace lines on his hakima and actually jerked away with the rush of sensation. " whats wrong?" she asked trying not to be offended.

He was blushing and looked flustered. He glanced to her hands and swallowed audibly. Kagome smiled innocently and it almost worked, but his nerves were overriding the mood. " I don't know- I just felt strange for a second... my heart is racing. I think I'm sick." he took a few breaths.

" I feel that way too." she smiled sweetly at him and took his hand in hers. " when you touch me, or kiss me I feel that way, like a shock through your whole body and at once you want it to stop and continue " she said and he nodded blushing from her admission.

" I feel..."

"nervousness?" she finished for him. He nodded slightly shamed.

"its okay, Inuyasha." she took his hand and leaned her head on his shoulder. They sat in quiet conversation. He asked her about humanity and she helped him to be more comfortable. Kagome sipped the last of her next cup of sake and set it aside thinking it was time to stop before she got drunk. She set her hand on his knee and squeezed affectionately. He reached to his knee and folded his hand over hers keeping it there. Her proximity affecting him further, he felt the blood rush straight to his groin and he shifted, uncomfortable.

" when we were young Kagome I always thought about you as if you were already mine, but I never wanted you to see me as a human " he admitted his tongue loosened by the sake.

Kagome snorted " you don't have to tell me about hiding things. I've tried to hide my fathers abuse for the last ten years. I'm lost. I don't even know who I am any more just that I love you." she kissed his human ear. He closed his eyes when she kissed him and he smiled. " kiss me." she asked and leaned almost to his lips. Inuyasha looked at her for a tenth of a second and descended. He could have groaned when their lips finally touched. It was warm and he could feel her passion for him with each movement of her mouth on his.

It was different then all of the other times they had shared a kiss. As a human Inuyasha felt the vulnerability of his otherwise ignored emotion, and the battering to the wall he had kept between himself and everyone else was being demolished by Kagome's demanding kisses. She wanted him, all of him either demon or human. He felt ridiculous for thinking she wouldn't want him this way, in fact him being a human leveled the playing field for Kagome and she was actively looking for the passion she desired.

He held her gently forgetting that he wasn't strong enough to do accidental damage, each kiss was confidence renewed and he began to indulge in his own desires touching her hair and neck before pulling her kimono apart to reveal her long neck and cleavage. He licked his lips before glancing at her smile and descending to kiss her marble flesh. His lips were soft dragging across her skin raising goose bumps in their wake. She gasped when he bit down.

" did I hurt you?" he asked backing off.

" hurt?" she asked confused she was aching and felt her breath come in short gasps. She was looking at his lips wanting them and could barely understand why he stopped. Inuyasha shook his head and captured her mouth once more. Her hands sought him, touched him. She felt the lean hard muscle of his chest and thighs, brushing her hand over his erection it was his turn to gasp. She didn't ask if she had hurt him. Kagome knew what she wanted, and she wanted to experience it with his human self.

"Kagome-" he took a breath shakily,

" Inuyasha." she smiled. She leaned to his lips and kissed him once more then stood and gave him a sultry look before exiting the sitting room and walking to the master chamber and preparing the bed for them. Kagome was blushing, at her own behavior, it was their second time attempting sex, the first time was rushed and interrupted, but this time she wanted all of his attention, she felt giddy thinking about it. She heard his soft foot steps, he was looking for her. " Inuyasha, in here." she called and he slid the door open as she looked back at it.

He froze when he entered and saw Kagome bent over the futon, staring back at him with her kimono still gaping in front. He couldn't breath. Finally getting oxygen again he knelt and waited for her to finish smoothing the covers and turning them down. Finally done Kagome turned to him and beckoned him to her. He crawled forward and She pulled him onto the futon and into her kiss.

When their lips met she melted against him and his arms wrapped around her pulling her flush against him. He was hot, feeling the temperature rise automatically and sweat droplets began to form on the back of his neck. " hold on...It so hot." he gasped and pulled his houri off, revealing his muscled chest and he descended once more into Kagome's embrace. She laughed breathlessly and instructed him to untie her obi. He did so clumsily, then pushed the silky kimono down her shoulders to puddle on the floor next to his houri.

He gasped when he looked at Kagome with human eyes. She was beautiful, supple, and her eyes held the edge of desire that he didn't need his demonic abilities to detect. Kagome reached for him and drew his hand to her breast, smiled, and closed her eyes when he massaged it gently. He laid her back and he felt his heart pounding as he moved over her. She leaned back on her elbow and reached for the ties to his hakima and drew them open. Excitedly, Inuyasha kicked away his remaining cloths, leaving himself completely bared for her.

Her eyes devoured him, watching and wanting his stark need of her, and wanting him herself. He was speechless staring down at her. Reaching for her he felt her soft skin and ran his hand down her side and hip while the other held his body weight. Her felt her rounded hip and bottom before parting her legs and cupping her heat in his palm. Kagome opened her mouth to gasp and bit her lip instead cutting the sound off in the middle.

Inuyasha explored her wringing soft cries from her as she tried so hard to maintain her composure. Inuyasha was getting annoyed by her quietness, they were the only ones there and he wanted this night to be better then what they shared in her fathers palace. Using a claw-less finger he parted her soft lips and delved inside. Kagome jerked and when he pulled it out and plunged back in she cried out in pleasure.

Inuyasha was memorized her body, in wonder of how different and perfect she was. He leaned to her mouth and placed small kisses on her lips and chin before he moved again lower and pulled her breast into his mouth increasing the speed of his fingers until she coated them with her desire for him. Panting Kagome came down from her orgasm. Inuyasha giddily smeared the cum from his fingers onto his cock and moved up her body very intent on having her then.

Even as a human Inuyasha was strong, and he still didn't need it for Kagome's petite frame. He reached to her hips and lifted her to line up with his erection and slowly pushed inside. When he was seated he let go of the breath he was holding and looked down at Kagome who held his stare with her own as they settled to the futon. _Oh kami,_ he thought and began.

Inuyasha reached to her and cupped the side of her face before kissing her hungrily and backing out and moving in once more. She pressed into him and demanded more from him. Kagome ran her fingers through his black hair and gripped the silky strands. He was big filling her completely even as a human and Kagome wanted everything that he would give her, she moved with him, holding on to his strong shoulders and taking pleasure in the ability to suck on his earlobe and biting gently as he chuckled and squirmed at the action.

Inuyasha enjoyed his himself, feeling the bond they were forming by being together this way. He felt like she was truly his, that hey were one flesh in that moment, both enraptured by the pleasure and the love they were giving one another. Each kiss, each movement was a testimate to the pain and loneliness they'd experienced until this point. Kagome would be the only one he would show this humanity to, she would be the only one to please his body and soul, she was his solace, what he'd waited for, what he wanted with every fiber of his being. She reached for him gently touching and exploring his body, she felt the beating of his heart and the smoothness of his skin. Each new thing she discovered about him made her want him more and more. She loved his spirit and stubbornness, his passion and his humanity. He held her with careful excitement and swept her away into this world of passion and desire.

" Inuyasha I'm going to cum." she gasped and wrapped her legs around his waist as he bared down for the end. Leaning his forehead to her shoulder Inuyasha helped her into another orgasm. As her muscles spasmed around his girth he bit his own lip to cover the moan. He lifted her knees to his shoulders and raised to his toes to get a better angle. He panted as he drilled her tight pussy, he was dazed, rummy with the pleasure that coursed through his being. Kagome pulled him into a passionate kiss moving against him with zeal until he could not take it any more and held her still, so he could work toward the rush of pleasure that was at the edge of consuming him. Gasping and feeling his muscles clench he pressed in and came hard plunging in again and again until the last waves of pleasure battered against him and he was sated.

At last he moved off of her and laid beside her holding her as he panted quietly and wiped the sweat fro his brow. Kagome rolled to him and snuggled in to his chest. He put his arm around her and was content to lay there with her slowly dozing off from the release. He had never slept during his human nights and as he heard her soft snores he sat up and got out of bed to walk around the house. He could see better after spending so much time in the dark. He went to the front door and looked out at the night sky. It was still hours until sunlight would again empower him. He missed the sense of power, the knowing of predators and allies alike as they entered and left his range of smell and hearing. In the distance he saw nothing but the rolling hills and forests that cover the land. It was limited. He sighed and went back inside. Approaching the place where Kagome slept he was sure to stay quiet as he pulled on his cloths and grabbed his weapon to his side. Kagome slept soundly on.

While he was alone Inuyasha reflected in the events of the last several days something bothered him still. Yes they had gotten home after going to see her father. Yes he had established himself as Kagome's mate and there was nothing anyone could do about that, but it was all too easy. And he hadn't seen or heard from the lord Hojo that had vowed to destroy them. Inuyasha gathered his weapons and finished dressing. Alone in the sitting room he watched through the open sliding door as the night slowly began to turn to day.

" Inuyasha" his brothers voice appeared behind him and before he could look Sesshomaru sat next to him.

" I did not hear you approach." he said and his brother snorted.

" you forget your humanity." he remarked and shook his head. He was always astounded at his brothers transformations they always seemed to make him so much younger, to Sesshomaru he looked like a child of 19 summers and that was all. He knew better though. Inuyasha was a hard fight on a bad day, and with this girl at stake he was a nightmare. " I came to inform you that the horseman and his servant are nearly here. They will be here before the light touches the mountain."

" are you going to distract them for me?" he asked Sesshomaru chuckled. Inuyasha groaned, he hated his brothers sense of humor.

" I have already. My new servant is stalling, but only until I return the rest is up to you." he smiled and got up. He serenely scented the living apace. " Inuyasha, you may still have a fight in front of you, are you going to fight as you are?" he asked

" what are you jabbering about, of cores i'm going to fight." he said offended.

" you may want to take her home, if what you have here is truly precious to you I would guard her more sufficiently. Why didn't you just go back to father, he would most assuredly allow your mate entrance into our court." he asked.

" i'm going, I just wanted this time to ourselves, geez Sesshomaru, get a woman of your own, it might do wonders for your attitude." he pointed out.

" I have my own way, Inuyasha. And no patience for foolishness." he crossed his arms and ignored his brothers teasing. Sesshomaru looked out into the nearing morning and nodded his head before walking into the yard and looking back at his brother once more before jumping into the air and leaving them behind.

" weirdo" he snorted and felt his own eyes rest on the horizon. They would come, and he was going to face this man once and for all.

He went back to the place where Kagome slept soundly and he nudged her awake. " hmm, what is it...yasha." she mumbled sleepily. He smiled.

" almost morning, I wanted to be with you when I changed again." he said quietly and she sat up quickly and was trying to wake herself up. " don't over do it, we have about ten minutes." he said and pointed out to the sky. She looked at the gold and pink clouds and gasped at the beauty of it. Turning to him she saw the ray of sunlight touch him and saw the merest glimmer of his demonic traits. Kagome was excited watching him with avid interest.

" how long now?" she asked

" any time." he said and she scurried over to him.

" I wanted to do this before you changed back." she chirped and sucked his earlobe into her mouth. Inuyasha laughed aloud and squirmed trying to free himself from her when he transformed and he was left with her giggling and half laying on him with the blanket sprawled around them. She was still naked.

At once his senses returned and he could fee everything again. It was like ripping away a blindfold and revealing a world of color and light. He could scent Kagome's playful arousal and the living space that had belonged to generations of her family. Inuyasha could scent their lovemaking and something else he wasn't quite sure of. He pulled her up from sprawling across his chest to sniff the side of her neck and shook his head.

He put her back on the futon and moved over her. He sniffed her, looked for the unidentified scent and stopped above her womb, it was just a spark that pinged his interest. She was all right, but there was something off. She wasn't pregnant,he thought, at least not yet. " what are you doing." she laughed feeling him nuzzle her with his nose and poke around her body as though he were looking for something.

"i am trying to scent if your pregnant." he mumbled.

" well?" she asked suddenly feeling nervous. He shook his head. Kagome hid the sigh of relief and nodded trying to look disappointed. He was not fooled.

" its okay, Kagome, I wanted to practice a few more times anyway." he said offhandedly then smirked and moved in to tickle her. She struggled in gales of laughter to free herself but he had her pinned and half wrapped in the blanket.

He stopped suddenly and cursed. "what is it?" she asked. And he did a silent count from three with his clawed fingers.

" Inuyasha! I demand you face me at once." lord Hojo's voice rang out in the early morning.

" damn that Sesshomaru." he said aloud and got up from Kagome's warm embrace.

" that's Hojo!" Kagome said horrified. She scurried out of the blanket and fought her way back into her kimono. " why doesn't he just give up." she whined.

A few hours before in the seaside palace lord Renkutsu looked over the rolling lands of the inner country and watched the allies he had gained march into battle over his own daughter. He was embarrassed and raging on the inside.

" Souta, I have been utterly disgraced. It is now up to you to restore our honor. Grow up and become my true heir." he said to the growing boy. He held a sour look and shook his head.

" I think that Inuyasha is cool, and he protects Kagome. Let her go. She does no harm to us. And neither does, not having those trade routs. Lord Hojo is our ally any way isn't he." the boy asked casually and watched the fire light in his fathers eyes. He wouldn't hit him though, because mother would kill him. He thought and smugly crossed his arms.

" Souta, what has gotten into you, you usually have such an agreeable attitude." his father asked biting back his harsh remark.

" father I have gone out into the world and seen the way its really done. And frankly I like Inuyasha, I want to be like him when I grow up!" he announced and left his father sputtering and more enraged at his wayward daughter. And her "mate".

Lord Renkutsu walked through his palace. His servants scurried away frightened by the blackness of his mood. He came to the window and saw the servant of that lord Hojo and he went out to meet him. " Miroku, what are you doing here, aren't you going to go to war with your master." he asked. The man came to attention and bowed respectfully.

" I regret to inform your lordship that I have been let go from my position and am on my way home." he lied. The monk watched the disappointment in the lords face.

" that is not right, you brought my son back to us after he disappeared. I am grateful for you returning my heir. I would give you a job anytime if your wish is o stay here" he said. Miroku had to stifle the sudden flash of anger he got from Renkutsu's blatant dislike of his daughter.

" it was my pleasure to return your son. Forgive me if this is out of my station but I regret whats happening with your daughter." he said meaning it differently then the lord would perceive it.

" yes, this has begun to cos more then I anticipated." he said looking out at his troops marching out. " but after this even the king of demons will take me seriously" he said darkly.

" my lord there is chaos in the front ranks another demon is tearing through our ranks and decimating our firs two waves." Renkutsu's general ran over to him and the lord was swept away with the developments of war.

" what does this mean for us. Who is the demon, that Inuyasha?" he demanded.

" no, the men believe its the killer of armies." the general stated sweating.

Miroku took this time to insert his true masters plan into this scenario and stir the chaos in this already temperamental situation. " do you mean the feared Sesshomaru. I have heard that he is the heir to the demon kingdom, and he wields the strength of the kami. In the last war he was called the destroyer of armies because of the blood bath that happened whenever he lost his temper." Miroku had the general captivated, lord Renkutsu face flushed and he looked like he had challenged his authority but he didn't dismiss him before his general asked the one question that Miroku was leading him to.

" but why is he here?" the general demanded not wanting to go in blind.

" it seems this Sesshomaru is Inuyasha's elder brother." Miroku stated making both men sick. Renkutsu thought about the threats made by the demon in his study earlier. The demon had said he wouldn't kill him but everything he had. Renkutsu looked out at his palace and would be damned before he allowed a demon to take from him, again.

The lord swept past his general and went up to the battlement where he could look out across his land. His general was right. The demon before him wrecked his lands and destroyed his people with very little effort. He was not prepared for this fight.

He watched the far distance of his horizon and saw Hojo's carriage and horse leaving with all of the servants and gifts he had brought for the dowry costs and the destroyed relationship they now had. He cursed. Everything was wrong now. Even his own son was wrapped up in these demons. What had they been warring over for the last decade?

While the men looked toward the east Sesshomaru appeared at Miroku's side and grabbing on to the back of his robe he spirited him away so quickly the two men had thought Miroku had wandered off.

Flying through the air Miroku trusted his life in Sesshomaru's hands, and didn't struggle though he felt ill. " lord Sesshomaru I believe they are frightened of you." he said through the rushing wind.

" they should be. You did well. Now though I need one more distraction for the success of this mission." he said and set him down on land with a gentle thud. " the lord Hojo and his servant will pass though here in one hour. Guide them to me. I will be waiting for them outside of my fathers palace. I will need the fifteen minutes distraction and then let them pass by. I don't care how you do it." Sesshomaru smirked and Miroku bowed accepting his mission.

" have you heard from Inuyasha and Kagome?" he asked. Miroku had enjoyed his missions concerning them and was mildly interested in pursuing this friendship. But Sesshomaru did not answer, only walked away leaving the monk with his own thoughts.

Sighing when the lord was gone he turned and looked at the barren night forest and felt the stillness like a cloak around him. Miroku thought quickly about what could make an adequate distraction and began a series of traps that would slow down the horse. Laying cal trips was a talent of his and expertly he planned out a distraction that should buy them at least ten minutes of stumbling.

" the effects of my traps should last far longer them the initial shock." he said aloud and chuckled and began down the path further.

Three hours after Miroku lid his traps, Inuyasha walked out of the manor and faced Hojo and his servant. Both were prepared to fight and had a platoon of men with them. Inuyasha smirked and noticed that most of them were scratched up and some looked as though they had already fought in a battle battle.

" it looks like you've already been beaten Hojo. You may go home now." he taunted earning an enraged shout and the men rallying behind him wearily.

" we are ready to fight, we ran into some obstacles in the forest... no matter. Men ready for battle. There is only one of him this should be easy, kill him take the girl and then we return home victorious." he shouted. Kagome gaped when he mentioned her and angrily clenched her fists.

" yeah yeah come at me." Inuyasha walked out to meet them and did not even pull out his sword. He held up his claws. " these are all I'll need." he laughed and as the army charged he began his onslaught. Men flew at him at every side and he sidestepped strikes and cut them down as soon as they got into reach. The men began to fear getting into range and the further ranks even turned to retreat when Naraku stepped in front of them and cut them down himself. They turned back.

" lord we are dying, there will be no one to return if we continue. We are already tired from the traps." the commander begged on his platoons behalf. Naraku cut him down.

" we are attacking. Death is apart of being a soldier. For the last ten years we have warred with these creatures. Now they feel it is their right to take our women and do whatever they want. Lets make an example of him and lay down our lives for humanity." Naraku said with his blade gleaming in his commanders blood. The men looked at him with fear.

" if you don't want to die leave now." Inuyasha warned.

" if you run ill kill you." Naraku screamed and sliced down soldier after soldier that valued their lives at all. Inuyasha jumped to where Naraku was and punched him in the face. He barely missed and scratched his cheek.

" you men can run when I kill this man here. And you call yourself human. Your no better then any demon I know." Inuyasha said throwing a kick and booting him in the gut. Naraku stood up and withdrew his sword.

" I call myself human Inuyasha but that's not all." he smirked and flew at him with a demons speed. Inuyasha sidestepped the razor like blade in front of him but was cut twice trying to get out of range. Inuyasha jumped up

" iron reever soul stealer!" he yelled slashing down wit his claws. Gold blades of energy struck out and wirlwinded through where Naraku had been standing. It destroyed the ground under Hojo horse and he had to jump to the side. His men surrounded him as a barricade. Inuyasha jumped to the side and repeated the action three times getting Naraku in range.

" Inuyasha!" he heard Kagome shout and he turned to see a group of soldier dragging her out of the house. He had not seen them at all, which meant they had infiltrated their hideout while he was in battle. He was engaged in battle trying to get to her as Naraku and the other soldiers blocked his path. He withdrew Tetsuiga and began cutting men down with his untransformed weapon. Kagome was crying he could scent the tears and the men around her were aroused and looking for her reaction from pain. He growled.

Kagome struggled against her captors. She remembered this feeling from whenever her father would have her forcibly taken to her chamber and locked there. But these men had the glint in their eye that told her they wanted to hurt her. There were four of them. She struggled and pleaded with them to let her go but the one dragging her by her arms pinned them behind her back and held her throat to the point of suffocation. She struggled and kicked but the edge of her vision began t darken. Finally struggling enough to make his hand flinch she bit him hard and spit out the blood when he dropped her. Trying to flea she was grabbed again and punched hard in her stomach and chest. Two of them dragged her towards to forest and she fought hard for her life for the love that she had only just discovered.

One of the men pulled out a blade and she stilled. " what? not going to fight any more?" one of them asked sticking the blade in her face. She shied away. " your going to make this easy for us and come quietly, if you fight us one more time I will stick you with this." he promised.

Kagome felt small, she was afraid and hurting from the beating she had just taken but the threat the man had just made ignited something inside her. A memory of her father making the same threat to her when she had started fighting back in the beginning, after her mother left. She had given up, been so afraid that he truly would kill her, that she had let him confine and control her from that moment.

Part of her wanted to scream but she didn't, Kagome nodded seemingly agreeing to his condition and stood slowly. She wasn't struggling so the men let her go, though still surrounding her, and she didn't run. The leader of the small group smirked having won this battle of wills and turned to descend down the path to the meeting place.

Kagome reflected on the things that had happened in the last few days, they had held some of the warmest moments she'd had in the last ten years. Allowing these men to capture her meant going to a place far worse then the darkness of her fathers stare and wrath, she would die atleast for the trouble she'd already caused Hojo.

It had been a long time since the fire burned in her soul, the beatings and fear had dimmed her will power in most things within her life, she had accepted her fate and had not thought she could escape it. But Inuyasha had given her hope. He had been her light even so much she had risked everything and gone to him at the last moment. Through the years apart, he had come to her as promised, and not only that, he had declared an intent that sealed both of their fates for this fight. _He would come after me_ , she thought, _he is fighting for me now._ "I have to fight too" she whispered. After all this was what she wanted from the start. To fight for what she loved and take back her life..

Kagome struck the man beside her and when the other grabbed her she elbowed him in the throat and kicked the next one as he ran in to grab her from the second guy. Breaking free she only had a second to run before the leader stepped in front of her. She put her hand out in front of her half way in defense halfway to judge the distance between them. The man holding his throat struggled over and made a sweeping slap for her and she ducked and launched under his arm and made a break for the pathway. These _were her lands_. She knew the two men were behind her and she ran like she had hot coals under her feet.

The men behind her were beginning to really hate this job. She was fast, just fast enough that they could not get her within reach. And she nimbly jumped obstacles that caught them up in their brambles. The leader, Shido watched as his partner fell over a root, and used the root to jump forward and catch her around the waist. Kagome screamed and struggled but he sank his blade into her stomach and released her. She was quiet now.

Kagome touched the place where the blood was now flowing freely and was shocked. She stared silently at the man who watched her loose the strength in her legs and collapse. " finally, we can all go home. Your death is a small price for the lives we all have back home, we live for the strength of humans, traitors like you are as good as dead to us." he said before turning.

" Inuyasha," Kagome whispered.

Inuyasha was surrounded at all sides. As he clawed his way to the edge of the mob they swarmed once more. He didn't see Naraku or Hojo any more only a mass of people trying to cut him down. "Kagome" he said panicking. He could feel her fear, and her pain. And it had been a while since they had disappeared into the forest. He scented for her constantly and when he scented her blood, he snapped.

Her life was pouring out of her as he stood there, already smelling so much blood all around him. Wrenching his arms he yelled out his fury and felt the ground quake under his feet. Eyes bleeding red he lost all control. Throwing his sword down Inuyasha flexed his claws and laid waste to the soldiers until not one person was alive, and then he rampaged through the forest looking. _He was pure murderous chaos,_ nothing escaped him not animal or human or demon as he swept through the forest to the place where her blood scent was strongest. When his feet stopped it was at the edge of a puddle, she was gone. He howled and knelt down to touch hit. It was warm still, she was not far.

Inuyasha ran.


	7. Chapter 7

AN: there will be some flashbacks marked in this chapter. the first couple are from their child hood where the last is a look back on an event mirroring this one year prior. I want to avoid any confusion thank you all for being with me this far!

I do not own any of the characters these re the work of rumiko takahashi and sunset TV. here you go

xxxxxTen years earlierxxxxxxx

Kagome walked through the gates to the statue garden. She carried a small pack with her as she stepped over roots and fallen branches. Humming softly she took a seat at the edge of the priestesses statue and began to unwrap her package laying out a bento box that her mother had made for her. She smiled and looked into the forest where her friend would come.

" I smell food!" a boys voice cried out through the trees. A red mass jumped to the base of the rock and Kagome found her bento box missing out of her lap and she gasped hardly amused. " mmm pretty good, Kagome I didn't know you could cook." he said through a mouth full of food.

" I brought that to share dummy!" she jumped up and started an impromptu wrestling match where he held the food higher then she could reach. He laughed and kept her at bey with the smallest of movements. Kagome deflated realizing that he was toying with her. She stuck her tongue out at him and he teased her a little more before they sat side by side and finished the remaining amount of food between them.

" Kagome my father is going to let me train with Sesshomaru. One day I'm going to be a general in the demon army." he vowed and took another bite of egg. Snickering he added. " fluffy pants is beside himself. He even let me come alone today, he's just jealous father and I get along better."

" ha, you really want to go to war, what about all of the killing, aren't you afraid that you'll be killed too?" she asked

" psh- not even." he laughed and she saw the glint of fire in his eyes. Inuyasha jumped down from the edge of the carved stone and sniffed the air looking for something. Kagome turned and reached with one foot for the ground, her kimono was short for the summer but bunchy enough that it still made climbing difficult. Kagome caught herself after stumbling back ward.

Looking around Inuyasha was gone. She walked around looking for a sign of red. " Inuyasha? Are you hiding?... your going to scare me aren't you?" she complained. He thought it was hilarious to startle her, and did it as often a he could.

She passed stone and statue looking around for him trying to find him now that the game was set. " ill find you." she called and heard a snicker. Turning quickly she caught a glimpse of white and ran toward it finding nothing. He was taunting her now. She felt a small shove and has knocked forward and caught herself on his red houri when he appeared in front of her. " ha got you." she grabbed him

" how'd you do that?" he asked amazed. He had meant to knock her back and catch her but she had grabbed him first.

" I know you. You like to sneak up on me, so naturally you'd be behind me. And when you shoved me you knew id turn around so I knew to catch you I had to wait and catch you when you appeared." she laughed and her smiled was triumphant, and adding insult to injury she tweaked his ear and watched them flatten to his head.

" hey! I hate that" he snarled covering his ears. She stuck her tongue out and turned to run.

" chase me then" she laughed and disappeared from sight behind a wall covered with moss and overgrown underbrush.

xxxxxPreasentlyxxxxx

Inuyasha was lost in a haze of grief and primal rage. The trail led to the garden where he and Kagome had played as children. He passed through the entrance of the garden with stone warriors raised up on either side. Memories flooded him from years passed and he visualized the placed and days spent in joy and felt shame for his foolishness. He had been confidant in his abilities but he had failed to see the tactics that overwhelmed and distracted him from what he was truly protecting. Ivy and moss decorated the eerie outer walls and created a shade of twilight in the garden. the blood is strong here, he thought and as he felt his heart squeeze in his chest and the red haze fade to full mourning.

. " Kagome" he said and rushed over to her she was still but he heard her heart beating faintly. He hurriedly pulled the cloth from the wound so he could assess the injury. He was sickened to find that she had been stabbed in the stomach. The wound was an inch in width and gaping, blood spilled even as he barely moved her and her each breath pumped more blood from her precious reserves. Thinking quickly he placed pressure on her wound and tried to stop the bleeding. She cried out in pain and he apologized cursing himself for his stupidity.

Looking up at him Kagome reached a bloody hand to his face and cupped his cheek lovingly. " Inuyasha, I knew you'd find me here... I cant stop the bleeding. I wanted to live through this, I'm sorry Inuyasha, we've gone through so much already I wanted to be at peace and finally together." she coughed and he grasped her hand holding it to his face and kissing her hand wanting so badly to take her pain onto himself.

" don't say that. You're hurt, but I wont let you die here. I cant let you go... I wont" he said trying to coax her willpower to live. " hold on to me Kagome." he begged. Kagome held down the fabric feebly as Inuyasha bunched up the layers of her kimono and pressed them to her wound.

" I'll hold on, Inuyasha."

" how touching." a voice came from the entrance of the garden. Inuyasha felt his blood boil and he gently laid her back. As he turned he could smell on other person in the garden. He withdrew his weapon and as soon as he saw Hojo's face he struck out. His blade was intercepted by Naraku. " you see, if I had known she and yourself had been childhood friends, I wouldn't have ever allowed her back in this garden, I would have taken her to my palace directly and strangled her in our wedding bed." Hojo laughed. He cantered through rows of warriors frozen in the passions of battle. To Inuyasha he imagined the stones of old animating and smiting his enemy. They only watched through marble eyes as he further and further defiled this sacred place with his presence..

" you bastard. Ill kill you." Inuyasha growled menacingly at them both and felt a tug on his pant leg as he began to walk towards Hojo. Turning to Kagome he saw the blood running down the side of her mouth and he felt the rage in him increase. Kagome nodded to him and pressed the cloth tighter to her wound.

" I will hold on, please hurry." she whispered and fell back closing her eyes in pain. Adrenaline and energy pumped through his veins and he focused to hear her feeble voice through the blood thumping in his ears. His resolve was firm as he stepped toward his foe.

" blades of blood." he called and sank his claws into his forearm, drawing the fatal shards. Hojo stood in place and Naraku shot out of the ivy to take the brunt of the hit. Naraku stood up and blocked the kick to the head with a double forearm block and barely and time to turn out of the reverse kick and flew back with Inuyasha's rage sounding.

Inuyasha broke through the defense and took his shot at Hojo. Bringing his hands up Hojo tried to block the deadly slash at his throat. Inuyasha smirked and sliced through bone sending the mans hand flying into the bushes. Naraku screamed and rushed to Hojo who cried out with rage and pain gripping his bloody stump.

" kill him, you fool." Hojo scorned Naraku who bowed ashamed by his failure. Inuyasha did not give them time to regroup he rushed through them again and tore them apart sending each flying to separate ends of the garden. Naraku smashed through small statues coming to a stop at the edge of the treeline. Hojo was closer and turning on him Inuyasha flexed his claws and gleamed ivory fangs in a malicious snarl. Hojo looked up at Inuyasha with fear. His wrist pumped blood from his body and already he could feel the effects of the blood loss.

Inuyasha didn't hesitate stalking through the high grass and stomping his head into the ground. Pinning him by the throat he cried out with primal rage and he wrenched back and smashed through his spine leaving him immobile and screaming in agony. Naraku stumbled up from where he was thrown and drew his sword ready to fight to the death.

Locking eyes, Inuyasha made a lunge for Naraku's sword arm and tried to take it, but Naraku blocked swearing angrily. Hojo was dying quickly, between the blood loss and the broken bones throughout his abdomen he slowly suffocated watching the stand off between his worst enemy and his honored man. Hojo watched with weary eyes breathing through the pain but unable to draw in as big of a breath once more. Naraku looked to Hojo and was punished with a clawed slash to the temple. Inuyasha screamed out his rage and struck out locking Naraku in a barrage of punches and kicks that were blocked again and again by his nimble steal. Naraku was tiring. " curse you, the master is now past saving but I swear I will repay the agony you have inflicted on him."

" die," Inuyasha yelled tired of using his claws and withdrawing his Tensuiga. He locked blades with the human male and pushed him back with the force of a half demon. Naraku's knees buckled and he went to his knees holding his weapon for his life sake. Rage and defiance shown in his eyes.

Seeing his clear advantage Inuyasha went in for the kill. Naraku saw fire blazing on the Tetsuiga and made the only choice he could see at the moment and turned behind the large base of the priestesses statue and grabbed the woman, running into the forest with her. Inuyasha cried out in rage and flew after him with hatred evident.

Trees and roots sprang out of the ground to stop up his feet. Kagome groaned in pain in his arms and he prayed that she'd live just long enough to distract him with her thrashing. He remembered the sight of Hojo's maimed corps and felt his gut wrench. Behind him he felt Inuyasha's fury. Heard his growls and snarls echoing off of the trees. He ran. According to his map there was another clearing ahead that was half blocked by caverns and rocks of the waterfall nearby.

Xxxxxxx ten years earlierxxxxx

Kagome ran through the under brush south of her gardens. She laughed aloud and watched as Inuyasha jumped from branch to branch traveling ahead of her. There was a waterfall at the end of this trail. She saw him run ahead of her and jump into the water. He resurfaced and she laughed when she watched him shake the water from his hair. Stepping onto the bank she jumped in making a huge splash and making her friend cringe and turn his eyes away.

Sesshomaru was at the treeline. He was aloof waiting to see if they killed themselves and prepared himself to jump in lest they drown and his father kill him in retaliation. He watched them play, splashing, laughing, and running through the semi shallow parts of the pool. Inuyasha coaxed her into a race and swam around her while she struggled to reach their destination. She reached out and caught herself on a rock breathing hard from swimming so hard. " Inuyasha!" she called and he swam over to see her clinging to the rock afraid.

" whats wrong?" he asked cocking his head to the side.

" my legs are cramping I cant swim back." she gasped. Inuyasha reached out and grasped her hand.

" just relax. Breath slowly and just let yourself float." he pulled her into the water and she gasped and sunk below the surface. He reached down and pulled her back up. She sputtered and gasped grabbing onto him he sank a little and grabbed onto the rock himself as she caught her breath. " whoa, take it easy Kagome you'll take us both out if you keep doing that. Relax." he held on to her and felt her slowly trust herself enough to relax he put a little distance between them and grasped her hand in his.

Smiling at her progress they floated through the water enjoying the sunshine and warmth of the summer. " this is so beautiful, we should come back." Kagome said reaching her hand up to the sun and hid it from sight with her hand.

" definitely." he agreed

xxxxxxx preasentlyxxxxxxx

Inuyasha smelled his prey. Lusted for this bastards blood with vengeance driving him further and further. He wanted him to pay for hurting her.

On the edge of the forest Inuyasha saw Naraku lay Kagome down and draw his knife from his belt.

" Naraku" he called stilling the mans hand. " your fight is with me. Leave her alone." he cast away the outer layer of his houri and unsheathed his weapon casting the sheath away with his houri. " I will end this now."

Naraku stood he saw no other way then to fight. Naraku put away his dagger and unsheathed his sword. He walked to the center of the clearing as Inuyasha stepped forward and sprung to attack clashing against his defense and resetting for another strike. Naraku was flawless. Striking with rage and precision making but still not making Inuyasha work for his defense.

He was being toyed with. Inuyasha fended off his barrage with ease making no show of it as he parries and stepped forward into Naraku's circle of defense. Naraku cried out and struck down trying to make his own window of opportunity. Inuyasha stepped forward trying to take him off balance when Naraku's blade shot forward.

Feeling relief Naraku laughed out. And pushed his blade in further making Inuyasha growl in rage. " I have failed to protect you from this demon but I have avenged you by killing it." he said triumphantly. Inuyasha gripped his sword but Naraku knew when he died the demons energy would turn to dust and he would be gone. Letting go he could not escape the feeling for hatred that emanated off of the demons standing corps. " die already. He yelled and tried to take the sword out of his hands and gut.

" not so fast." he said and grabbed him by the throat as he stepped in. Inuyasha cast the steel blade off to the side and slashed his throat within a heartbeat. Naraku stagger and gripped his throat. Taking a step forward Inuyasha's foot shot forward and drove through Naraku's chest throwing him back. Inuyasha knew when he breathed his last and rushed to Kagome.

Gripping her shoulders he pulled her to his chest and held her. She was weak, struggling for breath and cringing in pain with each one. She was barely strong enough to move from this place. "Kagome I'm going to get you home now." he said and picked her up.

Inuyasha ran as fast as he could and reached the gates of his fathers palace. Sesshomaru was there with a garrison of men looking for the coming soldiers. Seeing Inuyasha carrying Kagome and smelling the thick scent of blood he stepped forward, worried. Inuyasha walked past them and scaled the steps to the inner walls. The healer was on the second level of the trade district and he passed demon after demon who stood by awaiting the moment the king would order them to battle.

Rumors had flown as had the train of diplomats that entered negotiations with the king over the woman Inuyasha now carried in his arms. He laid her down on the healers table and watched as they hurriedly assessed her state and began healing her wounds washing and preparing herbs to stop the bleeding. They tended her for hours and when the fever had not broken after a full day of treatment they induced sleep and she was still. Inuyasha watched her her, holding her hand as she struggled for life.

The day after her induced a single messenger came from the seaside palace, they brought a brief declaration of disinheritance and was received with cold diplomacy from a representative replacing their normal interceptor Sesshomaru. Upon order of the king Sesshomaru was restricted to the living portion of their dwelling and forbidden to address the messenger in the least.

Inu no Taisho went to his son with the news and Inuyasha shook his head. " this is all over land disputes and money. They honestly believe I'm going to rob them!" he ranted walking out of the chamber and stepping out into the busy market. People looked at him and bowed giving him some room and allowing him to blow off some steam. It was hard to keep a secret with so many kinds of demon so close by. With ears and senses far beyond his own imagination he could only imaging what they chose to see... or not.

His father went into the room further and looked upon the woman who had his son so enamored that he threw sense and caution to the wind. He saw nothing of consequence, dark hair and petite frame that was common amongst the humans of this land. Her face was beautiful he could see and he remembered seeing fire in her blue eyes when Sesshomaru had taunted her when they met. He understood the love of human woman, he himself had enjoyed Izayoi's company, had fallen in love with humanity and even when it had meant a life of harsh truths he had wanted to protect and keep the child they had together. He looked at that son now. " Inuyasha, she will live through this."

" I know, I heard the old man he says she'll wake up when she's ready." he said looking at her once more. He had memorized her face in the last few days. He had imagined her waking up, waited as patiently as he had when she was still far away. Now, she felt even further, though he could reach out and touch her.

" get some rest," his father urged. Inuyasha shook his head and sat back down and guarded her still form.

" I will, when she's okay" he answered.

XxxxxxxxxONEyear earlierxxxxxx

Inuyasha sat beneath the statue of the priestess. He waited for Sesshomaru as he hunted. Looking up at the priestess he saw her smiling face and was enraptured by her beauty. She was always there. Watching over him as he waited. He had asked himself why he still came back here to think, he had half given up on Kagome's return and wanted to be rid of the constant ache in his chest from the disappointment.

Reaching his hand up he blocked the sun from his vision and gazed into the blue, he imagined the waves and the sand under his feet. He thought about Kagome, he was taller and stronger and had been through so much fighting for the territory his father had. He was protecting a world where demons could live, where anyone who valued peace would be welcomed. Demons lives were in tuned with the natural order of things, his fathers palace was home only to the soldiers and diplomats that chose to attend his father as his court and advisers, commerce and negotiations were held there only while the majority of the population were spread through the forests and along the mountains where their tribes had always been.

He thought about how his father had warred with the center territories for the ability to coexist and had been scorned for the idea. He didn't know if she would be the same, wondered if she would hate him when she found out that he was partly responsible for her families departure. She would be older taller, he imagined her small form grown into an adult and frowned wishing that he didn't have to imagine, that he could see her one more time, even if she hated him now, he had to tell her how he felt.

Out of the corner of his eye he saw Sesshomaru he was waiting at the edge of the forest and Inuyasha knew he had been too long. Sitting up he went to his brother and saw the look of pity that his brother held fro him. " she is not coming back, Inuyasha. Let her go." he said and walked passed him, walking towards their home.

Inuyasha growled. " I wont, she will come back."

xxxxxxpresentlyxxxxxxx

After a week Kagome woke. She opened her eyes to the still night time darkness enveloping her. She thought of the darkness of her own chamber and was claustrophobic, bolting up and looking for her window. It was the only relief to the darkness and silence. As she stumbled through the room she knocked into things she did not recognize and was confused. She had always had few possessions and none of them would cause her to trip.

"where am i" she asked. Her thoughts raced to the dungeon at her fathers palace, or maybe she was dead and her torment was to be shut in the dark as her father had always done. She hated the dark, the suffocation of the stillness. Right now she saw a single glimmer under the frame of a wooden door. Kagome went to it and wrenched it open expecting to find it locked. Swinging open faster then she was ready for it, she had to take a steadying step back and reached out for something to hold on to.

A hand grasped hers.

She screamed.

" whoa Kagome you'll wake up the entire palace." Inuyasha hushed her. Kagome gasped and laughed aloud seeing Inuyasha in the light of the quarter moon. She embraced and kissed him relieved to be able to do so again and then she looked around. The night time was a weak cover for the magnificence of the demon kings palace. It was an intricate community if merchants shops, barracks, and housing for politicians. It was a web of community with the pride and service of the king evident with every turn. She imagined Inuyasha running through these streets and playing under foot of the soldiers and courtiers it reminded her of the things she had once given up on altogether. She remembered her will to fight, the want to finally be together unabashed and free of either demon or human prejudice.

Inuyasha woke the healer and Kagome was examined by an ancient fox demon. He waddled from one side of the room to the other as Kagome watched, his long ears . " you're eyes are most intriguing." he said looking at her carefully. Kagome smiled and his eyes widened. " my and what a sweet smile too, its not wonder Inuyasha is so in love," the old fox demon lifted one brow towards Inuyasha and finished his check up. Kagome was allowed to leave.

Inuyasha carried her to the kitchens and though he knew he'd earn the wrath of the chef he rummaged through the food stores and found her something that could sustain her. " how did you know I was so hungry?" she asked happily. He snorted.

" you been asleep for ten days... you're hungry." he sat and watched her eat her fill Kagome nodded grateful. Inuyasha was quiet, reveling in having her once more with him. He had hated himself the last ten days watching over her, because of his carelessness she had been hurt so badly. He clenched his fist and tried to calm down again.

" whats wrong Inuyasha?" she asked watching him closely. He had been quiet, she felt his anger and saw it on his face without him ever saying a word. Setting back she reached forward and gripped his hand. " its not your fault" she said and watched him withdraw into himself once more. Looking at her with ember eyes half lidded he shook his head.

" It was my fault. We should have come here sooner and waited until the diplomats sorted out the politics because I waited, we met his troops and I was distracted enough that they got to you, and that is my fault. Then you were hurt, I cant forgive myself for being such a fool." he said angrily.

Kagome nodded accepting his feelings but not agreeing, she had insisted on staying at her families old estate, and when she had been told to stop fighting she had run, this was as much her fault as it was his, but at the moment he did not want to hear that. She stood. Rounding the table she put her arms around his neck and pressed her forehead against his. " Inuyasha, I love you. We are together, finally after everything. We cant forget what we went though but we can move forward knowing that we can get through anything after what we've already overcome." she brushed his bangs back from his forehead and kissed it warmly.

Closing his eyes he let out a breath. This is what he had missed in her absence. He rested in her embrace comforted by the sense of maternal warmth that glowed from her inner being, her warmth surrounded him, lifted his spirit and made him consider her words. No, he could not take back what has already happened, but he could assure that it never did again.

Two months after Kagome woke up, Inuyasha completed his project of fortifying Kagome's old manor and they moved into the old house. The modifications were minimal; a retaining wall surrounding the property and a guards station for the few guards that he kept o site. Inuyasha and Kagome renovated her old manor until it looked as though it weren't going to stifle you as you walked in. Inuyasha liked the open hallways and space in the rooms to move. He told her a house was meant to be lived in and not for, Kagome laughed aloud and agreed. It was opposite of her fathers sterile manor and she welcomed it. Soon the place she grew up looked more like a totally different home, And one she more appreciated.

They were able to settle into a routine soon after the renovations were complete. Padding through the simple hallway system Kagome found Inuyasha sitting with his back to her. Going to him she knelt and put her arms around his neck. She was warm from the afternoon sun, and he sighed and leaned back into her embrace. She had something to tell him. Nervously she worked her way around him so she sat at his right side. Looking at her warmly Inuyasha reached for her and caressed small circles on her arm. She blushed.

" would you accompany me out to the garden?" she asked. He smiled and nodded. They had not gone back since the incident and he had missed being there with her.

Standing Inuyasha helped her up and walked with her silently watching her. He had wanted to tell her something badly, taking a more protective role then normal he had tried to give her hints all week. She was acting funny, a little shy and more distant then normal. He reached for her and placed his hand on her low back helping her over a fallen log. When they reached the garden Inuyasha jumped into the branches of a fir tree while she was looking at the priestess. Turning she looked for him.

" your going to startle me aren't you?" she accused and heard his snicker. She sighed and began her search. She peered into all of the trees and looked behind the statues. Feeling his warmth behind her she whirled around and flew at him. They tumbled to the ground laughing.

" you got me." he said pulled her down into a kiss, he lay flat on his back, staring up at her as though she were out of this world. She returned his kiss and then her smile faded.

" Inuyasha, I've been meaning to tell you something." she said and sat back on his hips. He propped himself up on his elbows and quirked his brow. She sighed. " im pregnant." she said and watched him. He sniffed and nodded.

" and she is healthy." he answered.

" she? You already knew?" she asked incredulously.

Inuyasha blushed. " at conception, hey don't be mad, its the sniffer, I cant help it." he said as he saw her unamused realization. She had been nervous to tell him and he already knew. She was about to pinch him when she just laughed aloud instead. He _had_ been acting a little more protective lately.

" then we have a daughter." she said breathlessly. He smiled flashing his fangs and making her laugh again. He swept her up and kissed her tenderly taking her back to the ground with him and feeling her slight weight press down on him. He sighed and held her comfortably there, at the feet of the great priestess. Kagome thought. She contemplated the life that she would be able to give her child and was both terrified and relieved at once. It was still so close to the traumas they had gone though, nearly dying for the right to be together. Hojo and his servant were dead and the walls of the kingdom stretched to fit around them with Inuyasha's sword keeping her safe.

They would be able to live, somewhat of a normal life. Amazed Kagome brought her hand to her womb and tried to feel the beginnings of this new life. It was a new life for all three of them.

Inuyasha noticed her thinking and reached with his to cover her hand. Her face flickered with mixed emotions and he felt the weight of them pressing against his senses like a physical force. She frowned and he brought his hand to the back of her neck and massaged out the soreness that worrying caused. She leg go of the breath she was holding and relaxed. " we can do this." he said feeling pride. To him this was exactly what they needed to move forward, his father was already joyously scheming and his men glad( he couldn't keep a secret like that from any canine demon male, so naturally they all knew and teased him accordingly). Their child would be welcomed and protected.

Kagome smiled. " I know we can"

That night as they shut the doors against the cool wind of the night Inuyasha went to her side and sat with his back to the wall. She knelt over a rough drawing of the garden and planned the next years garden, it was her way of making this place her own. After walking though and seeing the erosion from neglect she had been taken to restoring it. He watched as she poured over possibilities. He was interested in seeing what she would do to the place that has such deep meaning for both of them. Gently he redirected her from the more unsavory ideas while acting although he didn't really care. He did.

" shes going to love it." she said looking up at him. Inuyasha

four months to the day that Kagome became pregnant, Souta sent word that he would be arriving in one months time to pay them a visit. Miroku hand delivered the message and took the opportunity to look in on them. He had weaseled his way to Souta's attendant AND Sesshomaru's top human spy, he was living a dangerous double edged lifestyle but his new master was tolerable to the idea of helping them and so, as Souta's carriage pulled up to the end of the dusty road and to the gate of his sisters home Miroku stepped out first and opened the door. Souta had grown in the six months since he'd last looked on his sister.

" Miroku, do you think they will welcome me or scorn me for my part in this?" he asked though not looking at the now elegantly robed monk. Miroku quirked a small smile and tossed his shoulder unceremoniously.

" who knows. Do you still harbor ill will toward them?" he asked lightly. The boy was almost thirteen now, growing he reached mid shoulder to Miroku and he had to admit that the boy may make a good warrior one day, but for now, his dark hair covered his shame filled eyes. He stepped down and walked to the gate and knocked, immediately getting a response.

" is it lord Souta of the ocean palace?" a man called out. Souta could tell from the tone that this wasn't and unwelcome visit, and he perked up.

" yes, it is I." he said and the door opened to a open pathway leading to the old manor. He heard voices ahead of him and hurried across the distance. He had never been to this estate and he looked though the series of buildings and hallways until Miroku caught him.

" this way Souta." he smiled and lead him expertly to where he saw Inuyasha standing, half leaning against a tree while Kagome tended a tea pot just beginning to boil. She hurriedly performed a tea ceremony and Inuyasha laughed pointing out how clumsy she was. She fended him off and finished satisfied with her work. " master Inuyasha, lady Kagome, I present lord Souta." Miroku heralded getting their attention. Inuyasha nodded, he had known when the boy arrived.

Kagome stood and greeted him bowing and then beckoning him with a smile. Souta gawked.

She's pregnant, he thought.

" yes," Kagome answered. He did a double take.

" did I say that out loud?" he asked Miroku. He shook his head.

" but lord Souta, things are obvious... sometimes." he hinted and motioned toward them. He cleared his throat and refocused.

Kagome welcomed him and invited both he and Miroku to join them for tea. She hosted beautifully, entertaining with conversation and making everyone feel welcomed. Souta began to relax, he let his guard down and she glimpsed the life that they could have shared together. Instead of being sad about it she willed that their future be filled with warm moments like these.

Toward the end of the visit, the mood took on a more somber turn. " father has been more aggressive then ever since the death of lord Hojo. I think he means to make a move for his lands. The emperor has denied his request and father is still pressing. I don't know what he will do next but im trying to stop him from taking us to war. The last skirmishes with the killer of armies Sesshomaru, left our palace defenseless. We are incredibly weak right now if we go to war, we will loose everything."

Kagome thought, she could see her fathers lust for power and his inability to reach it. He would drag down an entire country to prove he's right. " it will be okay." she said more as a hope.

Souta made his visit short and departing he wished that he hadn't. The ride was a long one and he was the only one who could tell father that Kagome was now carrying a child. He hoped that it would do something to their fathers steel will to realize that there was more at stake now.

Lord Renkutsu watched for his sons carriage. He had know that he was going to see Kagome. He had scorned the idea and willed him to stay but he had gone anyway. He wanted to know. He didn't want to know. Both sides warred and he spent the day in a frustrated mess of darkness. His wife had even steered clear of him, making him more angry and wishing that she would see more then just the sly opportunities to cease power from him. She was devious and their son was nothing like either of them anymore. Souta was becoming a man that would take control of the lands and men with a gently and thoughtful hand and he watched helpless as he grew into the man that was going to stand before him any moment.

When the door to his study opened he looked at his growing son and beckoned him in. Souta bowed and as expected he debriefed him. All was as expected with that wretch half demon and his lands but Souta had waited on Kagome.

" well boy, what of your sister, what of Kagome." he pressed.

" she is pregnant." Souta said quietly. He looked up at his father and was amazed. His father had a bewildered expression on his face, then it faded into something akin to thoughtfulness, then regret.

" I will be a grandfather?" he said as though it were unthinkable, then again this time with acceptance. " how does she look?" he asked.


End file.
